Take Two
by Ms.Adventure
Summary: Follows Intermission. Kelly and Annabelle's relationship through the second St. Trinian's movie. How do a student and international spy make it work?
1. Many Happy Returns

**Title: Take Two**

**Rating: T+**

**Disclaimer: Own nothing**

**Notes: Takes place through St. Trinian's II, keeping our favorite girls together and moving them forward. Might be a bit slow in places - sorry! Review if you like.**

_Many Happy Returns_

The month of summer break passed achingly slow. Annabelle thought she'd never see students at St. Trinian's again. Her aunt had kept her quite busy, helping with the annual repairs, renovations and security installations that had to take place before a fresh year could begin. Just getting all the walls coated in fireproof paint was a five day process. She'd also made Belle spar with her daily and was constantly handing her some new book that she thought the girl might like. Annabelle knew Camilla was just trying to keep her distracted from Kelly's painfully obvious absence. She also knew her aunt was just as upset about her situation with Geoffrey Thwaites - she was even more rightfully heartbroken. They were both doing their best to maintain the infamous 'stiff upper lip and soldier on' attitude of all Fritton women. Only at night did they drop the charade, reclining in Camilla's studio with bottles of wine to commiserate over the miseries of the heart.

It was a relief to see the line of cars arriving Monday morning, filling in the drive. Finally. Life could get back to normal. Belle strode out to the main hall, watching as the busses, shuttles and taxis all warred for space - the poor commercial drivers being pressed into hedges and trees by the actual Trinian's girls' cars. Luggage was stacking quickly, creating perfect cover for the girls to have last minute snogs with boyfriends before they drove away.

All the new First Years had the stunned expressions of deer in headlights as older girls piled off busses, hockey sticks high and screaming battle cries. The few new girls who immediately jumped into the riot would fare well. The ones who hid behind their baggage would have to learn survival the hard way. At least one girl had already crawled under a bus. At first that might've been a bad sign until Belle realized she was cutting the brake lines. A natural.

Annabelle stayed in the relatively protected safety of the entryway, watching the three matching VW's force everyone else out of their path as they veered in synchrony into the drive. The Totties couldn't be distracted from applying their mascara in the rear view mirror. Chels had elevated Bella and Saffy to her wing-girls. The two blondes were like mini-Chelseas. Bianca - who'd inherited the Chav tribe from Taylor - had already managed to construct a makeshift stage of suitcases. Fifty Ipods at full volume blasted Kaiser Chiefs and the girls danced.

The mini cooper that sped into the grounds did an E-brake turn, black smoke filling the air around the tires as they spun to a dead halt. Tania and Tara leapt out, rejoicing at their new speed record. The Twins surveyed the chaos with an air of pride and gave quick orders to their tribe. They were now Second Form but that didn't change their supremacy over the primal First Years. It just doubled their ranks. The Second Form raced off, on a mission to debag every one of the new students and willing to involve duct tape and grappling hooks where necessary. Satisfied with the delegation, TnT ran over to Belle, both hugging her from either side.

"Annabelle!" the sweet voices chimed up at her and Fritton Jr. thought she might cry, so happy to have the deadly dynamos around again.

"Did you have a good summer?" Belle beamed down at them.

"Oh yes! Only caught twice!" they replied, "How's Kelly?"

"She's good," Belle chuckled at the eagerness in their voices, "She's off creating havoc for some good cause."

"Will she come say hello?" the hope in their faces was heartbreaking. Belle could barely stand to tell them she didn't even know _where_ Kelly was, let alone whether she'd be able to come home to visit everyone.

"She will be here the first moment she's free. She thinks of us all the time." Belle assured sincerely. That was as much truth as she could offer and it seemed enough for the girls. The Twins nodded and raced off; their tribe had taken two taxi drivers hostage and they had some plans that involved vacuum hoses.

Belle withdrew deeper into the main hall, resting against the pillars as her emotions surged up like vomit. It hit home so hard, so fast. Kelly wasn't coming. Everyone else was back and there were happy reunions everywhere as all the girls returned but Kelly wasn't coming home. Without Kelly, it wasn't home for Belle. She sighed, rubbing her forehead and thinking of that conversation ages ago. It was the first week after Jones had left.

"_What is this number, Kel? Where're you calling from?"_

"_Corner chemist. I'm working for the government now, Belle. First thing they do is bug your phone lines. You want them overhearing some of our chats?" the sultry voice replied playfully. Just the way her tone washed over Belle felt like sex._

"_So I guess I can't call your cell when I'm in the bath?" Fritton teased, relaxing against her bed and imagining Kelly beside her again. She still slept on the same side of the bed, as though Jones might slip under the covers in the early morning as she had so many nights. She would've been thrilled to know that whatever bed Kelly slept in, she did the same._

"_Not if you want to play nice. These aren't the sort of people that like outside attachments. Best not let them know I have any. Least of all someone like you."_

"_You mean a girl?" sadness warred with anger in her voice. Belle didn't plan on being __**anyone's**__ dirty, little secret. Kelly's soft laugh came back over the line._

"_Nah, that'd probably be a relief for them since they have such a time making the boys keep it in their pants. We just can't let on that I'll be bunking the occasional assignment or cutting corners to come see you. They want us married to the job."_

"_So how can I talk to you? Doubt you can pop to the chemist every day without them noticing." Belle felt like her tenuous grasp of Kelly was slipping ever further away. How were they going to stay in each other's lives if they couldn't even talk?_

"_You can still call, Belle. We just have to keep the chatter light. Anytime I've got a clear line I'll call. I promise. Most places I'm on assignment I can find net cafes. They don't know my account so they won't be watching online. Email me. Something good." she emphasized the last word with a little extra husk and Belle shivered. She was definitely going to cultivate some writing skills. Immediately. _

"_I miss you already." she murmured, hearing the answering sigh on the other end. She curled over onto her side, unconsciously tucking into fetal position._

"_Me too, Belle," Kelly's voice hitched with emotion, "I'm going to be all over on jobs and tests but headquarters is still London. Soon as I get a spare day I'll be back out, I promise."_

"_I know." she nodded. They traded a few more affections before Kelly noticed the teller watching her suspiciously and she signed off. _

Kelly had yet to find any spare time to come for a visit. But her emails were full of constant reassurances. Training wouldn't go on forever. Eventually she'd have time that wasn't sucked up in exercises, studies or tests. One day she'd be able to slip away and come home for a visit. For now they had to be happy with regular, superficial conversations on the cell. The occasional deep, sincere connection was always rushed with Kelly having escaped to a phone box for a few stolen moments. It was email that kept them sane, able to really share news, thoughts, memories and feelings without time limits or scrutiny. Belle just wished she could see Kelly's smile. The way her eyes danced and flashed when she was amused. Or smoldered when Belle's fingers grazed the tender skin just under her collar.

With the chaos on all sides (Posh Totties going berserk over some new girl, the Eco's already fighting with Flammables over their use of non-recyclable polyester, the Emo's arguing with the Geeks about having to put their coffins through the metal detector) Annabelle might've thought no one would see her slip away into herself, into the past. But her internal regression didn't go unobserved, Camilla having noticed from her office the way her niece had transitioned from happy excitement into nostalgic sadness so abruptly. Barely able to muster enthusiasm for her greeting to Beverly, she was off in her own little world. Fortunately, Fritton Sr. knew a way to cheer her up. The Headmistress had been saving one last surprise for Annabelle. Time to pull it out.

Summoning her niece into the office she proudly appointed her Head Girl, it was only right that a Fritton reign in St. Trinian's. She was a little surprised that it didn't seem to enliven the girl as she'd hoped, Belle took the news with a certain amount of surprise and goodly dose of trepidation. _Oh dear._ Camilla sighed. What had happened to the dauntless girl of last year? Had a month without Kelly Jones really cost her that much confidence? She seemed to have lost some fundamental piece of herself.

Pulling out the letter from Kelly she watched Belle's eyes light up, eager fingers already tearing it from the envelope as she left the office. Annabelle smiled as she imagined Kelly's own voice speaking the words of the letter to her. Of course, she'd known this letter would be read by the Headmistress and deliberately kept it professional - as she did with anything that went thru the post since her supervisors snooped it all. Belle smirked, wondering if Camilla had any clue that her own scrutiny of their correspondence was nothing compared to Big Brother.

She greeted the girls on the stair and went swiftly to her room. She felt a wash of relief, knowing she'd continue to sleep and live in the same space that held all her best memories. She wasn't sure how she might've coped had someone else moved into this room. Christ, Belle would kill herself if she had to spend her last year of school watching a Chav throw parties in the Head Girl room.

She sat on the bed, pulling the small penlight from her bra. The mini black light had arrived two weeks ago in a parcel with a most unusual courier. Flash had just grinned and winked as he handed it over, telling her Jones threatened to have his balls if he didn't deliver it post-haste. Her initial surge of jealousy that Flash Harry had seen Kelly was washed away as soon as she opened the letter. Kelly had devised the perfect work around for Big Brother's tendency to read all her post. She dropped any letters and parcels under a dumpster behind the Starbucks where she got her morning latte - throwing away some rubbish at the same time so any surveillance team wouldn't get wise. Once a week Flash would collect the bundle and bring it - in person - to Annabelle. His regular 'business' trips to London made him the ideal accomplice, and Kelly's indisputable power over the spiv made him a willing participant.

The UV light was for all the letters that came thru the usual post and therefore had to be censored. Belle turned off the room lamp and ran it over the page in her hands, seeing the words that Kelly had coated in a chemical ink pop out of the page.

_Annabelle, I think about you. If you want me, call me. _

She smiled, fingertip tracing over the words. She'd call Kelly tonight, fill her in on the new arrivals, say hi etc. They'd developed their own sort of routine already. She could count on at least 3 letters every week; two through the usual post and one with Flash. They spoke or texted on Kelly's cell every night, even if it was just to say hi and goodnight (which was about _all_ they could say). On top of that, Kelly had made a point of calling Belle at least once a week, never at the same time or from the same number. Last week Annabelle was sure the 14-digit incoming call put Kelly somewhere in eastern Europe.

With the fresh strength of the words under her fingers Belle rose. She wasn't sure she was up to it, but it was time to take on St. Trinian's again.


	2. Confrontations

_**Notes: I like Roxie as a character, I just didn't care for how easily she supplanted our lead girls without a challenge. Every new girl at St. Trinian's needs her trial by fire before she assumes her place. Figured I'd fit that in here. At this point the story is sort of vomiting itself out and I'm just trying to keep up, sorry if it's rough in places. Review if you care to see another chapter.**_

_Confrontations_

Belle strode out of the classroom, frustrated with herself and the way her cheeks were burning. She was angry for having screwed up the negotiations and even more upset that she was letting the girls bully her. Again. She had to rediscover her handle on this school. She had to call Kelly. Footsteps followed her out into the corridor.

"You got to be kidding me. You're Head Girl?" the voice of the newest student, Roxie, demanded from behind her. Fritton turned very slowly, counting to ten to keep her expression composed and simply arched her brow. It wasn't Kelly's expression but it definitely was an answer in itself.

"I mean, I thought this school was supposed to be all different. Near as I can tell they picked the straightest arrow to lead the class, same as every other school I been at!" Roxie approached, sneering down at Belle. The other girls had followed and were watching the altercation from a distance. It was always exciting to watch two alphas square off for leadership of the pack. Even more when one was a reluctant alpha at best.

"I'm very sad to hear that we don't live up to your expectations. Especially since you've been here all of a day." Annabelle answered very evenly, the sarcastic sweetness of her voice a familiar warning to the girls who'd known her last year. She really could sound like Jones when she wasn't trying.

"Long enough to know I wouldn't have bollixed the job like you did." the punk girl crossed her arms. She didn't see that the Twins were moving up behind her, menace in their eyes. Mistakes or not, Belle was their Head Girl and friend; no scrubber was going to talk to her like this. Belle saw the movement and a small gesture of her hand ordered them still.

"Because you have so much more experience with the real world, of course." Annabelle fed her more rope. In the background Bianca and Zoe whispered with each other, already laying wagers. Chelsea was just watching, worrying her lower lip. None were entirely certain what their new Head Girl might be thinking except that she was going to let Roxie seal her own fate. It was disturbing new ground, seeing Belle in this disciplinarian role. She'd always been the soft side of Kelly's authority, now she'd taken up the steel fist.

"At least I've had some proper adventures! What's the riskiest thing you've done? Cut class to egg a house?" Roxie was smirking.

"Actually, last year -," Celia started but one glance from Belle shut her up. No reason to tell the new girl their past exploits. Not yet anyway.

"I see. Anoushka?" Belle called down the corridor, summoning the skulking Russian. She was never far from their activities, and perpetually nursing a hangover. Everyone held their breath. That was a proper ace to play. A lot of girls thought she didn't talk because she had only a rough hold of English - it was actually because the noise made her head worse. The tall blonde easily emerged and sauntered over to them, equal parts sexy and scary.

"You called, Belle?" Anoushka asked, her voice as raspy and raw as ever.

"Our new girl is feeling disappointed with St. Trinian's. Apparently partying with some bands and gathering a few notches in her guitar case has made her overqualified for us."

"Bands?" Anoushka snorted, "Pretty boys, showing off for fans. Always careful not to ruin their makeup and get home early to sleep it off."

"Oi! Now -," Roxie started to protest but was cut off by the Russian's firm grip on her arm.

"You don't know how to party until you party St. Trinian." she grinned wickedly, dragging the girl away. Belle watched the bewildered rocker tugged away, knowing full well the night of hell that she was about to endure.

"Good play, Belles." Celia came up beside her.

"I got odds on 3 to 1 she's puking by midnight." Bianca snapped her gum.

"She's tougher than that!" Lucy objected, "She'll make it to early morning at least."

"You don't think Anoushka will hurt her?" Chelsea worried. Belle made a mental note of the sincere concern in the Totty's voice for later consideration.

"Beverly survived, didn't she?" Belle shrugged, recalling the drinking game last year.

"She was hospitalized, Belle." Celia pointed out. Chelsea whimpered slightly.

"Then let's hope Roxie's right about being overqualified for St. Trinian's." Belle let a final smirk play around her lips before leaving the girls to their wagers and worries.

* * *

"_Gotta fly. Ciao!"_ Kelly suddenly ended the call and the line went dead. Belle was sure she'd heard alert claxons in the background. She sighed, snapping the phone shut. At least this time she'd been able to say goodbye. Most of their conversations ended far more abruptly; usually:

"Not that one!"

Or

"Terri, you wanker!"

Or a simple

"Bugger."

The most disturbing was when the line simply went dead with no warning. The first time it happened Belle went berserk. She called back over a hundred times, only to be told each time the number was out of service. She stayed awake the whole night sending questions to Kelly's email. In the early morning her laptop chimed with a reply.

_Sorry, honey. Bloody Terrence drove us under a waterfall and my phone died. Won't happen a second time, I promise. Never letting that ponce behind the wheel again. _

Belle had laughed so hard she began crying, releasing all the emotion at once. She swore never to over react so badly again. So this evening she simply tucked the phone back in her pocket, wondering who would be the target of Jones' wrath this time.

"Annabelle?" the tentative knock on the door summoned her from her musings. Opening the door she found Lucy waiting.

"Footage ready?"

"Yes, but we still have to wire your laptop into the secure network so it can upload directly." the Geek apologized. No Head Girl had ever asked for this particular data, it would take a while to make allowances in the systems and firewalls.

"Tomorrow will be fine for that. Tonight I'll just review the footage on your laptop." Belle emerged from her room and headed straight for the Geek's station. She spotted Anoushka and Roxie in the far corner of the dorm, matching shots of Trinski while an audience of gamblers and enthusiasts cheered them on. A quick glance at the clock and scoreboard told her the two had been at it for just over an hour now and already each drained 12 shots and 2 stouts. Belle smiled to herself - it would definitely be a fun night.

She settled with Lucy side by side on the Geek's bed as she pulled up the relevant material on her machine and handed it over. Belle nodded thanks and plugged headphones into the jack. She'd thought hard about this since finding out she'd be Head Girl. Lacking Kelly's instinctive, almost psychic, knowledge of everything going on everywhere, she'd need an edge. It was at her fingertips, the cameras strewn all over campus fed constant information back to their secure hard drives. She'd asked Lucy to set up motion detection and recording functions on all the cams and have them backup to the cloud so she could access and review all activities. Yes, it was a Big Sister sort of arrangement, but not so different from last year when Polly's geeks had maintained 24 hour surveillance.

Today what she most wanted to see was the dorms. Having started a few weeks into the term last year, Annabelle had never before seen the way all the girls reunited. Each clique performing a primal, instinctive ritual of bonding together and electing leaders. The tribes had evolved differently this year. Zoe and Bianca had easily taken supremacy over their relative cliques and resumed hostilities immediately. Nothing new as she Emo's and Chav's squared off and found reasons to squabble over the most minor infractions. Belle turned the volume down as Bianca's voice became unusually shrill, screaming about the fake blood that had splattered onto her bed during Zoe's consecration rituals. _Skip_.

It was funny to see Celia as leader of the Eco's. The Trustafarian had always been fairly independent but apparently decided leading the green initiative was more important than studying the I Ching. She and Celia had always gotten on well but she sort of missed the girl who'd thought of slipping 'shrooms to Bedales. This more responsible version just wasn't as much fun. On the screen they were busy installing solar panels and rain water collectors. _Skip._

Then there was Lucy. Every bit as capable and brainy as her predecessor but she lacked Polly's dispassionate superiority. Lucy was less Mr. Spock and more Bones. Under Polly the Geeks had always kept out of the minor quarrels of the other tribes. With the more hot-headed Lucy in charge they were developing a feud with the Posh Totties. Her particular target was obviously Chelsea herself.

Speaking of Chels. Belle watched close as the Totties arrived in the dorm, excitedly tailing the new girl. For girls whose ultimate dream was to marry a footballer and retire to Miami, a girl who'd already bedded a rock star was major inspiration. Except, Belle leaned closer to the screen to watch Chelsea nervously play with her hair, there seemed to be slightly more than professional interest here.

She looked up over the laptop to the drinking challenge in the corner. Roxie was just slamming her 18th shot down and swearing irritably as she choked on the vile Trinski and reached for a stout. Yes, there was the bottle being handed to her; by the perfectly manicured fingers of Chelsea Parker herself. Now _that_ was interesting. Belle glanced back at the screen, noting as Roxie slung her stuff into a separate corner and stretched out. Did anyone notice where her eyes went as she feigned such total indifference? Oh yes. If the indie rock girl survived her night with Anoushka, Belle would know _exactly _how to handle her.

* * *

Kelly Jones strode angrily into her director's office. The chopper flight back to home office had been one long, irritated silence and she'd festered the anger to boiling point. She made sure a few deep breaths wiped the emotion from her face, steeling her eyes and jaw. This boss wasn't impressed by temper.

"Your report, Agent Jones?" the dark haired woman didn't even look up from the papers in her hand. A favorite trick of most administrators, making agents feel unimportant. Too bad she didn't know Camilla Fritton did it far better.

"We successfully deactivated the explosive." Kelly maintained a posture of moderately respectful attention. The older woman heard the implied accusation.

"But?" she threw the papers down and leaned back, giving Jones her full attention. This woman had personally recruited the former St. Trinian's girl, for good reason.

"Honestly?" Kelly cocked one eyebrow.

"God, yes. It'd make a refreshing change to what I usually hear." she chuckled, the melodic tone of her voice coming through clear. She would've made a good singer, except it turned out she had far too good a mind.

"If that's what you call a crack team I can only assume it's because they're freebasing. Terri is bad enough, trying to shag anything with a skirt and pulse but the handler you gave me!"

"He comes highly recommended from MI5." the director had to hide her smirk.

"'Cause someone was thrilled to be rid of shite like him! He had one job: severe the link between the bomb and the central security system! He buggered it."

"You all got out safe."

"But the Cabal got an immediate alert that security had been breached and knew the plot failed. Sort of makes the job redundant, don't you think? They'll just start over next week. You pulled me up from MI6 and I assumed I'd be working with a better crew than Bond and his mates this time around." Jones leaned forward, fists planted on the desk.

Kelly's overseer allowed herself a small smile. Getting Jones out of MI6 had been a proper coup; putting one over on M and Bond had been a bonus. Strawberry Fields. Did any agent ever pick an alias that asinine? Those boys could be so bloody gormless. Jones had been perfect for the mission, playing the role to the teeth and giving MI6's special pet the extra emotional motivation he always seemed to need to just do his damned job.

The director vividly recalled walking into the hotel room after everyone else had cleared, finding Kelly sitting wrapped in a bed sheet still covered in motor oil. She was drinking Vodka, clearly off the job. The young agent had looked up and firmly stated her first words to her new boss: _'I don't care if it's the nuclear bloody holocaust, I'm not sleeping with anymore tossers.'_

"Agent Jones, if you're unhappy with your support team perhaps you'd like to tell me where you can get better?"

"I spent eight years in school with dozens of girls who could've hacked that system in a blindfold. Anyone of them could run a ring of firewalls around this wanker you've given me."

"You have one in particular in mind?"

Jones straightened up, realizing the superior was handing her exactly the opportunity she wanted. The smile that opened her face made her eyes dance.

"Actually, Director Hall, I do."

* * *

Annabelle's alarm buzzed but didn't wake her. She had spent the night composing a letter to Kelly. (All her observations about the students' returns and new arrivals). The noise from outside the room would've kept her awake all night anyway. Every few hours there would be resounding cheers and groans as Roxie passed out. Then quiet conversation and laughter for anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour before Anoushka's rough voice could be heard ordering the girl awakened. This involved something along the lines of waterboarding but with much colder water. Roxie's angry curses and shouts would die away as a pint or more of water was forced into her system to keep her hydrated and then the drinking would resume. At 3 in the morning a horrible retching noise announced that Lucy had won the pool.

The girl was indeed tougher than Bev. She'd made it clear through to sunrise before the alcohol overloading her system made her eyes roll up in her head and no amount of ice water could wake her. Chelsea's panicked shriek that the girl was dead woke any of the students who'd fallen asleep during the show but that fear was quickly put to rest by Roxie's light snores. Anoushka just laughed and sat back to finish her beer with the sunrise.

Now almost 8, Belle emerged from her room to find all the girls dragging themselves from their beds or off the floor to start lurching towards breakfast. Chelsea was still curled up on her bed, having fallen asleep biting a nail. Belle spotted the triumphant Russian sitting in a window, cigarette in one hand and a tiny cup of ultra strong espresso in the other.

"Good morning, Anoushka." Fritton greeted.

"Is _very_ good morning, Annabelle." the blonde smiled up at her with a conspiratorial wink and nodded to a matching cup of coffee on the nightstand. Besides the heavy circles under her eyes, you'd never know the girl had been up all night consuming enough liquor to kill a platoon of longshoremen.

"Where's our new girl?" Belle gratefully accepted the espresso and glanced around, knowing she wouldn't find Roxie anywhere in the dorm. That wasn't Anoushka's method.

"On the entry stairs. Not my job to drag her to bed."

"Course not. Thanks for the good work." Belle gave her a genuine smile. The Russian just nodded understanding of the appreciation. The Head Girl drained her espresso, paused to rummage briefly in the Eco's area before coming up with a familiar bottle and trotted downstairs.

She found Roxie roughly where she expected, halfway up the stairs, sitting with her head buried in her hands. Belle sat down and unscrewed the bottle cap, nudging the girl's shoulder. Roxie looked up and Fritton felt a moment of guilt. Her skin was a sickly pale, with grey and green around her eyes but cheeks beet red with burst blood vessels. She eyed the proffered bottle with justified suspicion.

"Eco's formula. It'll replenish your electrolytes."

Roxie just grunted and fumbled for the bottle, taking a long drink before gagging on the horrible taste.

"Manky." she choked, her voice the sound of death through gravel.

"Proves it's good for you," Belle urged her to finish the drink, "You were quite impressive last night. Litre and a half of vodka plus a six-pack of stout. Bev only finished her one bottle."

"Nnn." Roxie massaged her pained eyes. Her entire face hurt.

"But I'm guessing you weren't expecting to get hauled off and thrown in the pool with this kind of hangover." Fritton hazarded, noting Roxie's completely soaked clothing.

"Or forced 'round the race track. Twice." Roxie groaned. Her stomach was still aching from the violent vomiting fits that had seized her as Anoushka pushed her around the second time.

"You make it?"

"Hands and knees last half. And all the way back here." the indie blonde held up her chafed palms, bits of gravel stuck in the raw skin. Belle grimaced sympathetically.

"And if you were to go look for Anoushka you'd find her in the breakfast hall chowing some caviar and eggs," she paused as Roxie gagged at the thought, "Think any of your old playmates could manage that?"

Roxie glared at her and drained the bottle of re-hydration formula.

"Fair enough. Point made. Your school's more than I thought. Maybe I'll learn a bit. I'm still not sold on you as Head Girl, though."

"Normally I'd agree, Roxie," Belle rose and straightened her skirt, "But next time you want to call me out, try to remember: I'm the only one who's seen the way you look at Chelsea's ass."

She had the satisfaction of seeing the blonde's mouth drop and then clamp suddenly shut. Belle smiled knowingly and moved to head down the stairs.

"You're a brilliant bitch, Fritton. Right and proper." Roxie called after her, a certain hint of respect creeping into her tone. Belle paused and turned to look back up the stairs at her.

"I learned from the best." she smiled. She met the Twins by the front desk, ignoring that Beverly was sitting atop the furniture and chanting.

"He's here." they both announced, falling into step beside Annabelle. She nodded and made for the garage. During the day the mechanics had run of the place but behind all the hubbub she could spot a rather lost looking figure hanging by the back counter. She almost felt sorry for him, so out of his element, out in daylight and all.

"Flash, you got my message then?" Belle approached, shaking his hand and then leaning forward to kiss either cheek. He never knew what to make of that. He just flushed.

"Yeah, Belle, got it yesterday. Bit of a long shopping list, you know? Couldn't get everything right off but I have orders in and all." Flash nodded urgently, gesturing to the crates he'd brought so far. The Twins already had a dozen First Years unloading the items and hauling them to the school proper. Belle scanned down the list, ticking off what they had so far.

"Acetone Peroxide. DDNP. Lead azide. HMTD. Detonator cord. DEMEX. PE4. Oxalic acid. Hydrochloric acid. Diazepam. Acokanthera. Wait, Flash, the Acokanthera?"

"It's on order, Belle! It comes from bleedin' Africa!"

"Right, that's ok. The Eco's still have a stockpile with their poison darts. Should be enough." Belle commented mostly to herself. He hadn't acquired the other three ingredients they needed for Sulfur Mustard either. Fortunately Hydrochloric Acid was dangerous enough on its own.

"You expecting some kind of war then?" Flash joked, chucking lightheartedly. The laughter stopped when Tania and Tara both leveled their gazes on him.

"Just covering the bases, Flash." Annabelle shrugged and handed the pages back to the spiv. He'd done well, getting most of what they wanted. If this lot couldn't keep St. Trinian's safe, nothing would.

"That's everything, Belle." TnT announced as the last jug of acid was carted away.

"Good, get the girls on implementing maximum alert procedures. I want security trebled." Belle marched out of the garage, the Twins right on her heels, nodding as they tapped orders into their blackberries.

"Belle, wait!" Flash came panting out after them, "Almost forgot your parcel. Grabbed it this morning."

"Harry," Belle couldn't conceal her sincere smile, "Thank you."

"Just makes my day, seeing you so happy, you know." Flash returned the smile as he handed over the thick envelope. Belle took the opportunity to give him her own letter for the next time he was near a particular industrial rubbish bin in the city.

After he'd turned to head away Belle sneaked a peak at the first page of the letter.

_Hello Gorgeous, wonder what you're up to right now. Better yet, want to know what I'm doing?_

Belle smiled, quickly folding the letter back up for more private perusal. Heading back towards the school in silence she wondered which Twin would speak first.

"Should we tell Miss Fritton?" Tania finally asked the question that had been hanging over all of them. Belle paused, looking up at their home. She couldn't admit that she preferred her aunt not know she'd bungled the Head Girl job on her very first day.

"Not yet. I think we can handle this ourselves." she stated firmly. They'd do this the St. Trinian's way: adults as a last resort. The next 48 hours would tell all.


	3. Possession

_Notes: Right, I got some confused responses to the Bond bit in the last chapter. So, let me explain. It was commented - multiple times by people involved in making St. Trinian's II - that the reason they made Kelly a spy was as a cheeky nod to Gemma Arterton's role in Quantum of Solace. Therefore, in my weird writer's brain (it's very strange in there, people) it's part of the St. Trinian's storyline and has to be acknowledged. I also know I'm not the only one; props to British and Proud for 'Not so Dead,' great read, that. I haven't decided for sure if Belle will end up finding out about Bond - let me know your thoughts and I'll consider the options. Promise, if I do address that bit it'll be in a way to keep all our lovely kel/belle fans happy._

_Thanks to the lovelies who've been reviewing. Special thanks to Undone Misdeeds and British and Proud, reading such great stories has kept me in love with Trinian's and motivated to write.  
_

**Possession**

Camilla watched as Annabelle slipped back to sleep. She'd been relieved to see her niece laugh at the "hair don't" joke; once she got it. The poor girl was so terribly serious about everything lately. It hadn't been all that surprising that the first word out of her mouth when she surfaced from her ordeal was Kelly's name. Kelly Jones; Kelly wouldn't have gotten possessed, Kelly wouldn't have let this happen, Kelly, Kelly, Kelly. She was certainly never far from Belle's thoughts. There was a gaping hole in Annabelle's being that had been all too easy for an opportunistic ancestor to seize. Bastard. All the Fritton men were, really. Something wrong with the Y chromosomes apparently.

The Headmistress regarded her niece fondly, pulling the blanket up on her. She had the true Fritton fighting spirit; the battle defending their school had been masterfully handled, shame the cheaters brought in an air strike. Plenty of audacity as well; as soon as they figured out the meaning of the clue Belle had rounded up girls and shovels and led the way to the graveyard, despite being well into the witching hours of the night. Her only flaw was insecurity, for which Camilla fully blamed Carnaby and Cheltenham. That quality had all but vanished last year, what with Jones' constant attention and tutelage. Fritton Sr. was not happy to see it creeping back like this. Perhaps this little identity crisis would help her snap out of it. Nothing like being someone else entirely to help you know yourself properly.

Camilla rose, reminding the girls to keep an eye on Belle's rest before she left. She didn't noticed the odd shape of a shadow in the adjoining room, neither did she hear the barely existent footsteps cross the corridor behind her. The infirmary door latch had a mechanism like a gunshot. Somehow, it opened and closed without a sound and the new arrival leveled a gaze across the room. It was mostly First Years who looked up in confusion and suspicion. But a handful of the Second and Third Form were there too and all gasped in excitement, quickly stopping the youngest girls from taking offensive action.

"Right, you lot. Clear out." the visitor ordered and the girls who knew her all happily obeyed, dragging the younger ones away with whispered explanations.

"Kelly Jones!" the tiny voices murmured as they went past her, even the First Years recognizing the name if not the girl.

"Do not tell a soul you saw me, got it?" the former Head Girl glared at them all with menace as they slipped out the door. Fear would keep them silent for a little while. Long enough.

She set the deadbolt behind them and smiled. Breaking into vaults and maximum security terrorists' headquarters was _nothing _compared to sneaking into St. Trinian's in broad daylight without being seen. She turned and settled her eyes on the lone figure resting in the room. She hadn't seen that profile in 6 weeks. Seeing Belle now: asleep, hair splayed out over the pillow and one hand clutching the sheets; Kelly had a wash of déjà vu, losing the current moment in all the times past she'd seen that same pose.

The sudden surge of emotion that accompanied the feeling was a bit overwhelming and she sat on the edge of the bed, getting her head clear. She hadn't admitted to herself how scared she was that she wouldn't get to see Belle. Every day that passed she had to drive the sinking fear further down into her psyche and now the relief that bubbled up was the release of all the suppressed emotion.

Loathe to wake the resting girl, Kelly was still practical and knew they had two hours at best before one of the girls popped like a New Year's cracker. She softly stroked a stray fringe of hair from Annabelle's face.

"Belle?" she urged quietly, summoning the girl back from her dreams. The reality was sure to be better. The familiar voice must have plucked a hypersensitive string in Belle's subconscious because her hazel eyes fluttered open almost immediately. She gazed up at Jones, face a mystery.

"You're a hallucination. Some delusion like the rest." Fritton announced firmly, eyes glaring in anger. Not the exact reaction Kelly had expected. She certainly could relate to the feeling though, missing someone so much that the mind started to play tricks. Jones smirked and leaned forward, close enough that her longer hair created a private curtain around their faces.

"Then what say you and I have some fun before the pink elephant comes to break things up?" her low tone teased, making Belle blink in surprise. No hallucination should be able to smell so exactly like Kelly. Still wary, Annabelle tilted her face up to brush her lips against the ones just above her. Her whole body recognized the taste and feel of Kelly's mouth. She jerked back in surprise, then bolted upright, wrapping her arms around Jones' shoulders. The darker haired girl had to clutch the bed frame with one hand to keep Belle from completely bowling her over.

"Kelly! It's really you!" she exclaimed, hugging her so hard they would both bruise, "I missed you so much."

"Half as much as I missed you." Kelly murmured into downy brown hair, holding Belle tight against her. The familiar sensation somehow soothing and stimulating at the same time. Damn, it had been too long. She never could have predicted having such a distinctly _visceral _reaction. She felt her stomach flip when Annabelle's breath hit her ear.

"What are you doing here? Why didn't you tell me you were coming?" Fritton leaned back to gaze at Kelly's face, eager to memorize this new look she'd chosen.

"I heard you weren't quite yourself so I decided to cut an assignment short." Kelly shrugged, choosing not to mention how insanely risky it had been to bust the counterfeiters herself instead of just sitting on them for days until the proper agencies could show up (as protocol demanded).

"How did you know?" Belle looked away guiltily.

"Besides the fact that I didn't hear a word from you for two days? Cause that was more than enough in itself, you know. Plus, Chelsea sent me an SMS. Thirty-two of them, except 14 were about what Bianca and Zoe were wearing."

"I'm sorry, Kelly. I'm just no good at this job." Belle sighed, leaning forward to rest her head against Kelly's shoulder, fingers worrying the back of the collar on her leather jacket.

"What're you on about? Chels says you've been doing great. It's not like malevolent ancestors are covered in the school manual." Jones ran her hand along Belle's back, forcing her touch to stay soothing when her fingers twitched to grip the flimsy gown and tug it away. Seeing Annabelle had transformed her whole body into a massive, aching need and she had to concentrate on actually _thinking_, not just feeling. Head, not hormones.

"It wouldn't have happened if I'd been thinking straight. I just keep thinking about you, Kelly, and I can't concentrate! No matter what I'm doing there's this whole section of my brain just devoted to missing you and it keeps distracting all my other thoughts." she sighed in frustration. She felt the answering chuckle in Kelly's chest and leaned back to give her an accusing glare. She'd thought the former Head Girl should be rather flattered; sympathetic at the least!

"Belle, I feel exactly the same way. Last week I was supposed to tail some bloke through a metro and I'd been on him for two hours already. Then from the corner of my eye I see a woman with long, brown hair done like yours used to be," Kelly ran her fingers fondly through the new hairstyle, "I must have stared at her for a solid 3 minutes, just off in my own head thinking of you. I completely lost the guy I was following. I even forgot what the sod looked like! I had to spend that whole night tracking him down again instead of calling you like I wanted."

"Really?" Belle's eyes softened immediately. Kelly nodded, sliding one hand up to cup her cheek.

"I wish it was the first time but you've caused me half a dozen setbacks like that." she admitted in chagrin. Her partner was always completely flummoxed when the usually infallible Agent Jones fumbled a job and offered no explanation other than an embarrassed curse. Belle surged forward without warning, rewarding the confession with a fervent kiss. Kelly returned the intensity, not resisting when Belle pulled her horizontal.

"Guess there hasn't been anyone since me, then?" Jones teased playfully when Annabelle broke away to kiss down her throat. The younger girl met her eyes, recognizing the territorial glint and leaned forward, nipping Kelly's lower lip.

"You know I can't even _dream_ about anyone but you, Kel!" Belle agreed with a moan as Kelly's hands slid down her body. Jones desperately wanted to rip off the clothes between them and shag Belle right through the mattress to the floor. But she knew right now Annabelle needed something more . . .deliberate. So for the next hour she set about, slowly, carefully, methodically, reminding Belle _exactly _what it meant to be truly and completely possessed.

* * *

_Sorry this chapter was a bit shorter but I was keen to get the girls back together. Figured they deserved a bit of fluff for respite.  
_


	4. Debriefed

_Picking back up with the girls the same day as the last chapter ended. Please review - keeps me motivated to do the next chapter quicker!  
_

**Debriefed**

Headmistress Fritton was heading back to her office from the teacher's lounge. A minor riot had broken out (again) and she'd had to reassure them that the recent attacks and damage to the school would in no way affect their pay schedule. Miss Cleaver had the bursar hanging upside down from the ceiling, letting the staff take whacks at him with any blunt object on hand until the Headmistress intervened. The bursar couldn't know, of course, but allowing the coach to torture him was actually part of her compensations package. Overall, the bursar's abuse saved St. Trinian's 47£ monthly. He'd probably squirm less if he knew.

Camilla was surprised to encounter her niece in the corridor to her office, not only seemingly composed but radiating a simple self-assurance she'd not possessed in weeks. She wore an understated slip dress and cardigan, her hair done properly and makeup tastefully applied - even managing to avoid the 'understated whore' style so common to the school.

"Afternoon, Miss." Annabelle greeted, careful to avoid family familiarity.

"Annabelle, you're looking far more yourself." Camilla nodded, pausing to scrutinize her niece for any suspicious signs. The girl just shrugged and smiled.

"Is Mister Thwaites around?" she demurred, easily changing topics before her aunt could start asking questions.

"He left this morning, said he had an errand to run. But I expect he'll be back anytime now." Camilla glanced at her watch, pretending she hadn't been counting the minutes of Geoffrey's absence.

"I'd like to debrief him on AD1 as soon as he returns. I want to check on the girls; be sure they haven't destroyed too much while I was indisposed. Can we meet in your office after?"

"Of course. It should be most enlightening to hear what Geoffrey has to say about our nemesis." Camilla nodded, pleased with the restoration of the new Head Girl to her full strategic capabilities. She watched as Annabelle marched confidently up the stairs and shook her head in mild wonder. Heading into her office she pondered the change. How could she go from absent and vulnerable to self-assured and driven so quickly?

The answer greeted her within the office. Kelly Jones sitting in one of the wingback chairs, a leg flung over one armrest as she sipped a tumbler of the Headmistress' best scotch. She was dressed in all black and had cultivated a more femme fatale persona but last year's Head Girl was every inch the same.

"Kelly Jones, as I live and breath. No wonder Annabelle seems so peaceful again. Returned to save us in our hour of need?" Camilla moved around her desk and raised a skeptical eyebrow at the girl. She'd known her over 8 years now and Jones suffered many afflictions; altruism was not one of them. Kelly's answering smile was full recognition of the Headmistress' assumptions - and verification as well.

"Hardly, Miss. St. Trinian's has always been more than able to take care of itself. But I'll be damned if I let anyone feed Belle to the wolves just cause she's willing." she swung around in the chair, showing the respect of sitting properly in her seat.

"Well said. How long have you been here?" Camilla knew that none of the perimeter alarms had been activated. She'd always assumed Kelly would slip in privately at night, broad daylight was a tad more impressive. The Headmistress expected no less of the girl.

"About 94 minutes." Kelly glanced at her watch. Fritton would hazard 15 quid that the last 60-75 minutes thereof had been spent helping Annabelle rediscover herself. It certainly explained the near miraculous transformation. She poured herself a tea and lit a fag, regarding the former Head Girl. What was it going to take to motivate one of them into taking the next emotional risk? They were thoroughly, sickeningly attached to each other. These past weeks had certainly proven the fact for Annabelle and Kelly's presence here now confirmed it in her own case as well. Young lovers could be so bloody-minded! Then again, Camilla pondered Thwaites and had to admit, older lovers could be every bit as bad.

"How long will you be with us?" Camilla exhaled an ornate smoke ring.

"I don't have any pending assignments for the rest of this month. So long as there's no emergencies I could be here 'til late next week." Kelly smiled, pleased to be home after so long a period.

"Smashing. Do be a darling and make sure that, this time, the real Annabelle stays with us after your departure. I can't abide all this lovesick moping." Fritton sipped her tea, not admitting that she'd been just as broody until they'd had reason for her to go find Geoffrey. Before Kelly could deliver her acerbic reply, Beverly chimed in to announce that Thwaites had returned from the city. Camilla smiled and headed to the door.

"Just wait here, Belle will be back down shortly and I'll send Geoffrey to fill you in."

"He'll want to do you first, I'm sure." Kelly quipped, dead pan expression refusing to acknowledge the double entendre. Fritton paused with the door open.

"Pot and kettle, I should think, Miss Jones." she chided, her eyes sparkling with laughter before she departed.

* * *

The debriefing was a touch bumpy in places. What with Geoffrey's stammering every time Kelly took a sip of whiskey and the Headmistress skulking behind her desk having an oddly rhetorical conversation with her new puppy. She would interrupt her own philosophical musings to interject an opinion every time AD1 or Pomfrey specifically was mentioned. Which made things a bit hairy since they were the entire subject of discussion.

"Ad1 -"

"Bastards."

"Has branches all over the world but the headquarters is naturally London. The chapter has over 250 members and is lead by Sir Pomfrey."

"Arrogant prat."

"The counsel chamber is on the ground floor but you want the vault, which is in the basement. Piers -"

"Sodding pillock."

"-Keeps all the valuables there."

On and on and on it went. By the last part of the briefing they just all knew to pause for a moment so Camilla could release yet another insult from her apparently limitless supply. She ended up comprising almost a third of the conversation without actually being involved.

Filling the girls in had been a bit smoother. Despite Roxie's vocal misgivings, all doubts were silenced the moment Belle stepped aside to reveal Kelly's return. It was the ultimate ace to play; having Jones in your pocket guaranteed the win. Annabelle had stepped back and watched as the twins raced to Kelly, embracing her happily. The joy in their tones was nothing compared to the affection in the older girl's face as she smiled down at them. Chelsea could barely stop saying 'oh my god' long enough to fit in a hello and happily wrap Jones into a perfume-laced hug. For all her aloof charm, Kelly never bothered to hide that she was fond of her St. Trinian's girls and happily embraced as many as came forward to welcome her home. She loved them all and that was what had made her a great Head Girl.

The First Form, not knowing her in person but by whispered myth, just stood and stared in awe. A few dared come up to introduce themselves and were favored with a personal introduction and welcome. First Years always were Kelly's favorites. Annabelle smiled, noting that however many students swarmed around them, the Sopranos never left the famous Head Girl's sides.

Belle wasn't the only one watching the reunions from an observational distance. She noticed Roxie also kept to the side, arms crossed as she analyzed the living legend. The Totties had filled her in on the Vermeer escapade and she'd developed a grudging respect for Annabelle Fritton. Any girl that could turn a cell phone into a projectile weapon had to get some credit. Now she was seeing the criminal mastermind behind the exploit. Belle was pleased to note that the indie girl seemed impressed. Or at least curious enough to keep her mouth shut as Kelly and Belle explained the plan in detail to all the girls.

There had been some brief squeaks of surprise when Annabelle announced that she and Kelly would go into AD1 with Thwaites (one being a tiny sound of shock from Kelly herself). Belle hadn't mentioned coming along during the briefing. For good reason, obviously.

"What, just you two? You're liable to start getting 'preoccupied' in the vault and end up locked inside!" Bianca argued with a smirk.

"It's not a timer activated mechanism." Lucy volunteered the information with her usual naiveté, full of helpful spirit and no clue whatsoever. Kelly tilted her head down ever so slightly, the only indication that she wanted to laugh.

"Yeah, well if it's heat sensitive there'll be plenty of bloody alarms set off." Zoe growled from the corner, bringing melancholy chuckles from the rest of the Emos.

There was even more protest when Belle pulled the Twins into the team but no one else. She covered one ear, trying to minimize the damage to her eardrums as the older girls all erupted.

"The Sopranos? They're going and we're not? What, you trying to lock in the glory for yourselves?"

"Nah, they know the Twins won't stop them shagging in a cupboard along the way. They'll probably handle the camera gear!"

"I have a really great undercover nail polish I was going to wear!" Saffy's superficial voice wailed. She'd had far too much fun playing dress up for the mission at the boys' school.

"We're 8th years, dammit! We've been here every step of the way and it's our school too!"

"You'll need informed consultation on environmentally friendly methods of disposal in combat."

"Remember it was a Rude Girl what helped pull off the painting heist!"

"And an Emo!"

And the Head Girl at the time wanted to kill them too. Belle rolled her eyes.

Bianca and Zoe were both fighting to get involved, louder than all the other tribes. The two girls were shouting their qualifications but quickly dissolved into a fight of which of them was more worthy to go. Which, in turn, devolved into listing each other's shortcomings.

"Nothing ever changes, eh?" Kelly smirked. Belle sighed with a resigned smile. No. It never did. Thank God.

Jones touched Belle's wrist, drawing her eyes for a moment of silent conversation before she walked out of the room. The current Head Girl followed without question, leaving the Chavs and Emos squabbling while the Totties were going over disguise ideas and the Eco's were discussing the potential carbon footprint of using nerve gas.

Once in the corridor Belle found Kelly waiting by the stairs, staring pensively at the level below, hand clenching tight to the knob on the banister rail. Annabelle paused a moment to admire the darker girl's profile; a combination of sharp angles and sensual curves that begged to be touched.

"Something wrong, Kel?" Belle slid her hand over the manicured fingers digging into the wood rail, making sure to step in close enough that her words touched black hair.

"I don't remember any mention of you coming with us, Belle. Or the twins. It was going to be me and Thwaites; in, out and easy, right?" the bit of strain in Kelly's voice could've been anger. Could've been fear. Most likely it was anger because she was afraid. A foreign state for the government agent. Annabelle could feel the tension radiating off Jones' body. She wrapped one arm around her waist, letting the other trail along her cheek, turning her face into the conversation.

"You think I'm letting you out of my sight? After six weeks? I don't care if you're breaking into Buckingham Palace, I'm beside you," Belle leaned close enough to kiss Kelly's ear, letting her teeth linger along the lobe, "Besides, you won't find a better accomplice in St. Trinian's. I'm head of the combat class."

"That's just your temper and competitive streak joining forces." Kelly chuckled, willingly giving into the embrace. Fritton knew her buttons far too well.

"Perhaps, but I fought off the Twins plus three other First Years with bicycle chains. Wouldn't you prefer I was with you?"

"Belle, I want you with me every moment I'm awake and quite a few when I'm asleep," Kelly turned in the embrace to face the playful hazel eyes, "I just don't want you in danger."

"Right. You need a demonstration. Come on." Annabelle nodded decisively and grabbed Kelly's wrist, dragging her away. Jones couldn't help thinking how often she found herself in this predicament with Fritton Jr. and though it was never easy, it always got them somewhere fun.

This time it was the sparing room. Not the full arena where the defense classes were held. This was the more intimate chamber Annabelle would always love because it was the room where she first tapped her inner strength. It was still where she and her aunt came once a week to vent frustrations and talk while pummeling the snot out of each other.

She released her grip on Jones and pulled off her sweater, tying her hair back.

"You're serious?" Kelly smirked. Not only had she always been the best fighter at St. Trinian's, she was now a trained government agent. Attacking Kelly Jones was begging for punishment.

"Nervous?" Belle flashed a smile and slid her heels off.

"Of what I might end up doing to you!" she protested. She didn't doubt she was good enough to win, she was nervous she wasn't good enough to keep from hurting Annabelle. Fritton sensed the concern and smiled, stepping behind Jones and running her hands teasingly down her neck and across her shoulders.

"Let me worry about that." she suggested and tugged Kelly's jacket off. Jones hesitated a moment, then surrendered with a shrug, taking off her stiletto boots and tossing them to the side. She turned and faced Belle on the mat, one eyebrow twitching in surprise.

"You got taller." she observed, realizing Fritton was now over an inch taller than herself. The girl had become all legs. Not that Jones intended to complain.

"Guess that means I get to be the boss." Belle smiled playfully.

"Bollocks. Not 'til you can whip my ass." Kelly stepped back into a ready stance. Annabelle seemed keen to try, quickly testing out her opponent's reflexes with some light strikes. They traded experimental blows, feeling out each other's defenses as faster and harder hits were steadily blocked from either side.

"Think Zoe and Bianca are done yet?" Belle asked as she deflected a side kick and returned with a right.

"Not a chance, that fight looked to be a solid twenty minutes. Maybe more. They make Rea and Taylor's tiffs look like peace talks." Kelly shook her head as she swatted the fist away.

"You had to have spotted Roxie, right?"

The speed increased as they circled.

"That would be the blonde that alternated glowering at me and staring at Chelsea's ass?"

No longer just blocking, they were ducking and spinning to evade combo attacks.

"Oh good, you did."

Jones was impressed with Annabelle's skills; she hadn't let a single blow through.

"Hard to miss! Your letter was spot on too, Chels has definitely forgotten all about Dickinson. That reminds me, the teachers still shagging?"

Dodging to the side she caught Belle's arm in mid-air and held tight. Which should've left the girl's defense completely open except -

"Like randy rabbits."

Belle mirrored the move perfectly, intercepting Kelly's strike. They were stuck in a stalemate.

"Well done, Fritton." Jones nodded ever so slightly.

"I aim to please." Belle winked before leaning in to kiss her. The agent was sufficiently surprised by the maneuver to lighten her grip and Belle broke away, gaining a few feet of distance.

"I certainly hope you won't be doing_ that_ at AD1." Kelly joked as they resumed sparring, both girls laughing. They were flushed and breathing hard, which was starting to become a severe distraction. Neither could quite shake the memory of the last time they'd seen each other in such condition, or the circumstances. Belle bit her lip in concentration, trying to stay focused. Unfortunately, her expression was completely identical to one from a few hours earlier and Jones decided it was time to switch tactics.

She spun and caught Belle from the side, pulling her into a tight grappling hold. Fritton struggled but her arms were pinned behind her back, securely trapped by Kelly's hand and body.

"How'd you do that?" she demanded, straining against the grip that had her upper body completely locked. She could feel Kelly's breath hot and fast on the side of her face.

"My employers have taught me a few new tricks." Kelly chuckled, trailing kisses over the flushed skin. Annabelle sighed, losing herself in the caresses, turning to meet the lips on her ear. Kelly wasn't loosening her grip this time. She wouldn't fall for the same trick twice, even if she did desperately want the fight to be over. She was, however, shocked when she found her center of gravity thrown to one side, Belle's foot hooked around her leg. Jones blinked and found herself on the mat. She had, however, kept her grip on Annabelle and brought the other girl down as well. The younger fighter sprung out of her grasp, quickly spinning around to pin Kelly before she could react.

"We've been teaching a few new things ourselves. Miss Cleaver decided to introduce some Aikido into our calisthenics." the brunette smirked.

"Oh good, here I was worried you wouldn't be able to keep up!" Kelly grinned, giving Belle only a moment to be nervous before the agent surged off the ground, rolling them head over heels. They grappled across the mats, fighting for advantage; occasional grunts or gasps echoing off the sparse walls. Anyone passing by, hearing the repetitive thumps and breathless sounds, could be forgiven for assuming an entirely different sort of exercise was going on.

It took five tours around the mat before Kelly gained dominance. Belle struggled but found herself completely confined, Jones having expertly subdued all her limbs. She could barely move her toes.

"Submit?" Kelly smirked, one eyebrow cocked playfully. Belle thrashed uselessly for another moment, then surrendered with a sigh.

"You win." she grumbled and Jones smiled, releasing her limbs but not moving away. She had to make nice for the defeat, Fritton's were a proud breed. Kelly stretched along the length of Belle's body, enjoying the missed sensation of having their every inch in contact. She interlaced their fingers, squeezing the familiar hand.

"You are brilliantly good," she admitted, "And definitely coming with me."

Belle's smile lit her face, eyes sparkling in victory. Her hand caught the back of Kelly's neck, pulling her into a deep kiss. Tangling together, they rolled to lay side by side without breaking contact. Jones pulled away to taste down the column of Annabelle's throat, lips and teeth making the breathless girl moan.

"You didn't really think you could take me, did you?" Kelly teased, already looking for the fasteners of the innocent, white dress. Lithe hands caught and stilled her questing fingers. She looked up to hazel eyes flashing mischievously at her.

"I know I can. Just not in a fight." Belle grinned and pushed Kelly flat to the ground. The mats had never seen this much action.


	5. AD1

_ I guess I'm assuming this was a **really** busy day. Everything happens fast at St. Trinian's, right? I'm not going to remind everyone to review - but I'll definitely admit I've gotten far more conscientious about reviewing since I started publishing.  
_

**AD1**

"Like a shallow, bedazzled bint would even know which ring to grab? You'd get all magpie and grab the shiniest bling around!" Zoe had Bianca pinned face down on a bed, jamming her nose hard into the messed sheets.

"Oh bog off, bloody corpse-shagger. You'd just get all scared like in the cemetery!" the Chav managed to dislodge her attacker and flung herself at the Emo, knocking her to the ground. All the tribes in the dorm were shouting encouragement, standing on bunks and hanging from rafters for a better view Zoe was choking Bianca with her own necklace and the Chav was about to invent a way to stab someone's carotid with a stud earring when a voice of authority interrupted.

"Get the slags off each other! We haven't time for this!" Belle's tone jolted the tribes to action before they even processed who they were obeying. Bianca and Zoe were pulled apart and subdued by their relative cliques as Jones and Fritton strode into the room. They looked superficially composed but last year's girls could easily spot the somewhat unkempt hair, wrinkled clothing and recently reapplied lipstick. Not to mention the fact that both girls were fighting smiles. Money changed hands almost immediately.

"I _did_ mention we have to be on top of this caper tonight, didn't I? Have you lot done anything productive other than lay wagers on their fight?" Belle crossed her arms, striking a pose of stern authority. She just had to keep reminding herself: _Do not crack up, do not crack up, do not -_ The teasing smirk on Kelly's face suggested she needed the same warning.

"Yes, we also were betting on what you - !" Saffy started to answer but Chelsea and Bella both immediately slapped hands over her mouth. On the far side of the room, Roxie snickered.

"Right," Belle's eyes hardened, "We leave in four hours to infiltrate AD1. I want full computer simulations with accurate specs, weaponry primed and equipped, digital ears AND eyes for all 5 of us and Thwaites still sober. Got it?"

There was a chorus of groans throughout the room but it was quickly submerged beneath the noise of acquiescent activities. Belle saw Kelly tilt her head slightly in respect for the masterful execution. The girls didn't even have time to make any suggestive jokes.

The two Head Girls (current and former) split up and moved around the room, consulting with the individual cliques. Jemima and a few other First Years had gone off to keep an eye on Geoffrey. He was on a campus with more alcohol per square foot than the entire clubbing district of Soho. Having Camilla cheesed off at him put him even more at risk. They had strict instructions to take him down before any bottle touched his lips. Tranquilizers and duct tape if necessary.

At first, the Geeks had protested they didn't have enough data to run simulations. Then Lucy hacked the network at the architectural firm that drew up the building plans, instantly accessing and copying the blueprints. Thanks to Geoffrey's intel it was easy enough to figure where the accesses were and spot vulnerable security points. Not to mention the location of the vault and the surveillance nest outside. The tech squad really did excellent work, despite having to listen to the Posh Totties offer constant, unsolicited suggestions.

"Can you do the walls in a different finish? Stone is so drab."

"Ooh, look at the size of that closest!"

"Go upstairs, I want to see the bedrooms!"

The First Years had greeted their assignment with the same exuberance as Halloween, quickly gathering weapons of every size, shape and threat. Tania and Tara were filtering the options. Apparently, the only criterion of approval was whether the weapon could be concealed under a cloak. Thus far they'd only rejected the flamethrower.

"Sopranos, keep it non-lethal. I love your enthusiasm, I do. Let's just keep bloodshed at a minimum, right?" Kelly suggested, squeezing their shoulders.

"Yes, Kel." they two miniature leaders pouted sadly but nodded for the First Years to haul away two-thirds of the arsenal.

"Nothing noisy either, we don't want the rest of the building to know what we're up to." Annabelle added, prohibiting the rubber bullet artillery. Did any riot squad in the world combine fully automatic weapons with rubber ammo? It had to be a uniquely St. Trinian's trick. TnT sighed mournfully. They wouldn't argue with either of the older girls but they could damn well be disappointed. No student as dangerous as the two little girls should be able to look so pathetically sad. Seeing their tiny, heartbroken expressions made Annabelle feel like she was kicking a sack of puppies

"Tear gas?" the Twins asked hopefully as they saw their armaments pared to bare minimum. Kelly and Belle exchanged glances, silently debating. Belle won.

"Yes but only after we've cleared the area. Tazers, smoke bombs and tranquilizers should be all we need to get in. You can wreak hell on our way out."

"Thanks, Belle!" the girls rejoiced, immediately putting their heads together to plan a devastating exit strategy.

"Now who's the softy?" Kelly teased quietly, wrapping an arm around Belle.

"They do much more controlled work when they can look forward to a bit of chaos as a reward. Plus, they're just too adorable when they're plotting violence." Annabelle shrugged, smiling down at the blond heads as they squabbled over which kind of grenades to use. She reluctantly stepped away to settle a fight breaking out amongst the Chavs. Did it really matter what color earpieces they used?

* * *

"Shall we take my ride?" Kelly nodded to her sports coupe. The convertible had the top open, begging for a high speed chase through London. Belle furrowed her brow. The Twins were already salivating. Much fun as it would be to let Tania and Tara ravage the village road at 200 mph, they needed Thwaites to arrive with all his faculties present. Dry drawers would also be a help.

"Might be a touch cramped for 5. Perhaps we'll take mine." Annabelle flashed her keys. Kelly 's eyes followed the logo on the keychain long enough to widen in surprise.

"Where did you get a Bentley?" Jones grabbed the keys to verify she wasn't imagining things. No, the logo was undeniable. Looking around the parking area she spotted the only vehicle with the distinguishing front grill. Not just any Bentley - the newest Continental.

"One of Daddy's many attempts to make nice after I didn't come home for summer. He's trying to bribe me into acknowledging him. I was thinking of selling it off for something a bit more fun." Belle shrugged and called the twins over.

Kelly shook her head and suppressed an affectionate smile. Only Belle could be nonchalant about a 120,000£ car. It bothered her to hear that Carnaby was still trying to get into Annabelle's life but if his method of communication was expensive gifts. . .what the hell? Jones so often forgot just how much money Belle had in her background. Any man that could pop half a bar for one painting had plenty to spare for his only child.

Thwaites, Tania and Tara all piled into the backseat. The Twins sandwiched Geoffrey, excitedly babbling across him about any and all potential combat situations and the various resolutions they had in their satchels. For them 'twin talk' was a relentless banter of weapons specs. Apparently the Sopranos had decided that they would be completely under-dressed without _some_ form of explosives. Thwaites said a silent prayer. Belle walked to the passenger side of the car, earning a confused glance from Jones.

"I'm tired of the Twins backseat driving. You deal with them for a change." Annabelle smiled and slid into her seat. Kelly glanced at the keys still in her hand, then shrugged. It might not handle like her Noble but she was certain she could put the car to good use.

For forty-five minutes Tania and Tara had been offering suggestions to make their ride a more GTA-IV experience and Kelly decided to indulge them at the last minute. Using expert control of the wheel and E-brake she skidded the car sideways into a parking space, slamming to halt. Belle laughed; in the backseat, the twins cheered. Thwaites had the expression of a man desperately trying not to be sick. They unloaded quickly and ducked inside the ominous entryway, slipping into their robes. Game time.

The Bentley engine steamed at the curb, tires reeking of burnt rubber as the car cooled from Kelly's driving. Everything was still for some time on the sleepy side street. After twenty minutes a sparrow alighted on the windshield wiper and decided the pinnacle of its career would be having a crap on the hood. So the bird left its artistic mark on the silver finish and flew away.

Barely five minutes later the girls raced back out the door, the sound of explosions short on their heels as the Twins had vented their fury on AD1 headquarters. The detonators were on a sequential pattern, each tiny explosive setting off the next. Not enough to bring down the building but there was no way anyone would be getting through that particular exit for a few days.

"Where's Thwaites?" Jones demanded as she leaped into the vehicle, starting the engine.

"Leave him! Aunt says he's with his own. Go!" Belle shouted over the alarms following their exit. The sound of screaming rubber drowned out the explosions as the Bentley peeled out and frightened a number of feral cats.

"Belle, what happened?" the twins had been watching their handiwork through the rear window and now turned to look at the older girls.

"Looks like Geoffrey had some old issues to vent." Belle muttered, not fully believing what Lucy had told her through the earpiece. No ways. Thwaites was a bit of a tosser, yes, but he was head over heels for Auntie. He wouldn't, couldn't, sell them out like that.

"He's got an angle." Kelly echoed Belle's own suspicion as she muscled the car onto the freeway, ignoring the horns blaring from every direction.

"Otherwise he would've handed us over." Annabelle agreed. No, Thwaites had a plan. God knew what, but it was there in his alcohol-fogged brain. It was just an issue of finding out his strategy before the Headmistress ordered an assassination.

Once they were outside London proper Kelly eased back the accelerator. No one had followed them out of the city, no point picking up a police escort on the freeway. The Twins were dropping firecrackers out the back windows by the fistful, laughing as cars swerved when they hit the tiny pyrotechnics. Belle rested her hand on Kelly's thigh, unconsciously seeking reassurance that the whole fiasco hadn't been their fault. Jones' hand covered hers, squeezing tight. It hadn't been anyone's fault, just a miscalculation. Convincing the St. Trinian's girls of that would be their real challenge.

* * *

Kelly wanted to deck Roxie. Hard. The girl was an instigator, a dangerous element in a school already braced to the teeth with aggression. Trinian girls were always a breath away from fighting anyway, the last thing they needed was someone setting off the powder keg. Then again, the punk blonde didn't entirely realize what she was in for, did she? Throwing random insults to see what stuck made her a target as well and Bianca turned the criticism around quick and proper. Of course, the moment the Chav opened her mouth Zoe was right on her. It was a fast downward spiral from there as the leaders of all the tribes began to squabble. Even Celia was getting sucked in!

The former Head Girl had felt a swell of pride when Belle let loose a sharp whistle and called the girls to their senses. They looked decently chagrined, granting Belle the respect and submission her authority demanded. They were reluctantly rallying to their new leader, despite all of them having little voices in the back of their heads that remembered when she'd first arrived at St. Trinian's. The First Years had already pledged absolute loyalty, as they would to any Head Girl. It was the older ones that were hesitant to forget who Belle used to be. Despite how much she'd proven herself, the animals were always ready to turn on the first sign of weakness. So, Belle simply wouldn't be weak. Ever again.

While everyone had gasped or cheered after Headmistress Fritton punched Thwaites, both Kelly and Belle felt immediate sympathy for the poor man. His dazed expression was half shock, half adoration as he offered up the second ring as his apology before passing out. Neither of the lead girls had meant for him to be made the villain and here he'd just proven himself the true hero. He'd risked _everything _to get Camilla what she needed. The Headmistress was far too stunned to even react.

Belle ordered girls to bring ice packs and take the dazed ex-minister to his bed, let him sleep off the wine and the assault. Meanwhile, Camilla would have time to realize just how wrong she was and the St. Trinian's girls could decode the second ring. It was well past 10 and everyone was emotionally and physically exhausted from the roller coaster. Belle surveyed the weary troops, nerves frayed at the edges and emotions running rampant. She quickly came to a decision.

"Lucy, whatever your tribe finds can wait 'til morning. Girls, all of you, get to bed. Tomorrow we start again." Annabelle ordered the student body that was hanging off the stairs. It was sound instruction but her tone was too sympathetic, too _nice_. The girls all paused, looking to the Headmistress for confirmation. Camilla was still too shaken by Geoffrey's unpredictable nature to even notice_. _Trinian's girls need a voice of steel to cut through their instinctive resistance to orders. Kelly opened her mouth to offer backup but was cut off.

"You heard the Head Girl! Get moving!" Roxie surprised them all by shouting a repetition of the order. The students scrambled up the stairs, quickly leaving the front entry vacant except for a handful of older girls and adults.

"Thanks." Belle nodded to Roxie. She noticed Chelsea had lingered downstairs, despite the rest of Posh Totty having already retreated to the safety of their boudoir.

"You're spot on. We can't fight anyone else if we're fighting each other. What say we start fresh, you and I? We can do far better for St. Trinian's together." Roxie extended a hand to Belle. The Head Girl smiled, seeing Kelly's suspicious gaze from the corner of her eye. Jones did _not_ like this newest addition to St. Trinian's, but Annabelle had a good feeling.

"Right enough. You're in the family now, Roxie." Belle smiled and shook the proffered hand. The indie rocker would prove useful yet. Fritton excused herself and her aunt, needing some private conversation and possibly a sparing match so Camilla could get her head straight. That left Roxie, Kelly and Chels (their names sounded like the beginning of a bad nursery rhyme) in the entryway, regarding each other.

"Don't think we've been formally introduced. I'm Roxie." she offered tentatively, not entirely sure what to make of the black eyes boring into her. The two hadn't exchanged words yet, let alone introductions. Roxie wasn't easily intimidated, mostly because she never _cared._ The mysterious brunette was different though. The air of authority around her demanded deference and even admiration. She was a legend for a reason. Based on Roxie's brief experiences at St. Trinian's, anyone that could command the adoration of the entire school deserved respect, possibly even fear.

"I know. You seem like a useful type girl," Kelly's eyebrow twitched upward as she evaluated the blonde, "Start any shite with Belle and it comes right to me. Never forget that."

"Didn't know former Head Girls stayed so involved." Roxie glossed over the threat as best she could. There was a subtext going on that she didn't understand. Kelly held eye contact for longer than usual as she walked closer, pausing right in the girl's face before finally walking right past.

"Welcome to St. Trinian's." she went up the stairs, smiling to herself. Some habits never died. Pausing at the first floor she could hear Chelsea giving Roxie the full story on Jones and Fritton. With (what sounded like) a number of exaggerated but juicy details inserted for entertainment. By tomorrow Roxie would have a whole new level of fear and respect for both girls. Not to mention a head full of lewd fantasies that the lead Posh Totty would undoubtedly capitalize on.

* * *

Kelly collapsed against the sheets, feeling the sheen of sweat on her feverish skin drying in the cool air. Belle's hands and lips worked their way back up her body as she calmed and regained her breath.

"That's it," Jones groaned, "Call the church."

"Why?" Annabelle asked in genuine confusion, distracted from her mission to leave love bites all the way up Kelly's body.

"It's official: your mouth is a whole new level of sin. They really should know." Kelly gave a deep, throaty laugh and pulled Belle up for a kiss.

Six weeks of abstinence had built up a lot of pressure to release. Fortunately, they'd managed to blow off quite a bit of steam in the last 12 or so hours. Kelly was finally starting to feel like herself again, instead of a randy teenage boy with a glandular condition. She might even be able to have a conversation with her lover without thinking of a hundred different ways to get her naked. There was one particular conversation they needed to have before morning. Since they were already naked . . .

"Belle, I can't go with you tomorrow." Kelly confessed, watching as emotions flashed over Annabelle's face.

"What? Kelly, why? I can't do this without you!" Belle pleaded, torn between disappointment and anger. If she could just tap that anger it would be far more useful. Kelly sighed, pulling Belle into a tight hug, running her fingers lazily over her naked shoulder and throat.

"You can! That's why you have to do it. Belle, the girls don't understand what you're capable of because you don't! They'll never listen to you until they see you're a force to be reckoned with. You are so much stronger than they, than _you_, think. If I go along it'll just be one more adventure they tack onto my history, not the victory you deserve."

"I don't _want _the victory, damn it! I want you with me! You can't leave already." Belle's eyes were starting to sting with tears, her fingers clutching at the flesh beneath her, trying to will her need into the other body. One day wasn't enough. It was like the torture of smelling a fabulous meal you wouldn't taste. Better to not come at all than to come for so short a visit.

"I'll just be gone for the day. Take care of a small assignment and be back in time for the party. I promise." Kelly reassured, reviewing in her head the call she'd received earlier telling her to go take out a sniper assassin in Belfast. Annabelle let out a few shuddering sighs, pulling her emotions under control. She wasn't going to win this fight. Kelly would still be here. Come tomorrow night she'd be back. That just made it all the more important they pull this caper off successfully. She wanted to see those black eyes sparkling with pride. She wanted to dance with her in the throng of St. Trinian's celebrations again. No risk tomorrow was too great so long as she could come home to Kelly.

"Alright. I still wish I could have you along. I'm not sure I'll ever be the Head Girl St. Trinian's deserves. Or even half the leader you were." Belle sighed and surrendered the argument.

"You're every inch the leader St. Trinian's needs. You just have to see it for yourself." Kelly comforted. Her eyes, hands and lips reassured Annabelle of her phenomenal worth. Belle slid into her habitual position: on Kelly's right side, snuggled against her neck and shoulder.

"This will be the first night in ages that I'll sleep well." Annabelle murmured, taking a deep breath of Kelly's skin. Jones shivered, wrapping her arms tight around the younger girl, threading her fingers into strands of russet hair.

"It'll be the first I sleep at all." she replied, letting out a contented sigh.


	6. Second Try

___Hectic week this side, hope it hasn't affected the flow or voice of the story._ Sometimes hard for me to tell by the fourth time I'm proofreading. 

* * *

**Second Try**

Amidst the hectic preparations and planning Kelly strode out of the school. She had to leave; soon, or she wouldn't go at all. Waking up that morning in her old room, that familiar bed, with Belle in her arms . . .it was like the last 6 weeks had never happened. Her life outside St. Trinian's had seemed like a dream and she'd finally woken up to the way things should be. Time had erased everything between. Then the Eco's and Flammables had come pounding on the door arguing about which group should be in charge of transportation plans. Eco's wanted to do public transport, the Flammables were threatening to boycott the whole project if they were forced onto a bus. Belle had resentfully stirred awake and shouted them all into submission, throwing in a few choice curses and threats. Life had resumed and brought reality with it.

Kelly knew she had to be on the road in 15 minutes which meant the phone call would be coming anytime . . . .now! Her cell erupted right on time. Kelly smiled at her own prescience. So predictable.

"Agent Jones." she answered, despite knowing exactly who was on the other end of the call.

"Have you told her yet?" Polly's disembodied voice demanded, impatient as ever. Kelly glanced over her shoulder, St. Trinian's had ears everywhere. She switched to Arabic for added security.

"I never would've gotten you the job as my Tech Handler if I'd known you'd turn into such a bloody nag!" she answered in the guttural language.

Polly had been the natural choice to replace that idiot MI7 had assigned her team for computers and digital espionage. The Geek had already proven herself a dozen times over in the short window of her employment. Her first day she hacked MI7's entire network, set off the environmental alarms and pranked the director's computer as proof of her qualifications. Jones was ecstatic to have her good friend as an accomplice and confidant on a daily basis. The downside being that Pol hadn't given her a moment's rest about Belle. When she'd told the redhead that she'd be taking her week off at St. Trinian's the excited brainiac had immediately poured drinks and spent the night grilling an increasingly tipsy Agent Jones about her feelings. It was good training for enemy torture.

"You just called me your sister's horse. But I know what you meant," Polly laughed, "And the question still stands. We talked about this, Kelly, it's your first time home in six weeks. Isn't it time you two stopped playing games?"

"It's not a game and it's not the right time!" Kelly maintained her foreign tongue and calm expression, despite wanting to reach through the phone and throttle her friend. Polly was off on one of her rants, lecturing in a detached but authoritative tone on the damage Kelly was doing to herself, to Belle and to the world of relationships in general. Apparently romance as an entire theoretical concept was in peril because she was being a 'pig-headed narcissist.'

"Hey." Annabelle's voice caught Kelly's attention from one side. She came away from supervising the unloading of equipment from the Twins' mini. Well, that offered a quick enough escape.

"I'll see you at the airport!" Jones interrupted Polly and signed off the call, knowing the redhead was going to leave a string of colorful curses and insults on her voicemail. She gave Belle some last words of reassurance, all the while playing in her head the reasons why _now_ was not the right time to take the next step. She had to be sure they could pull off this long distance thing. So far it wasn't working at all well, for either of them. Belle had nearly had a nervous breakdown and Kelly was always a step away from killing someone. It was up to her to make it easier.

Annabelle naturally protested a bit more; making one last attempt to convince Kelly to come along to the theatre. It was token at best, knowing Jones had made up her mind. She had the same brave face she'd worn the last time Kelly drove away, only her eyes screaming thoughts and emotions she couldn't voice. Jones hated that memory. Today she smiled as she contemplated all the ways this time would be different.

Belle did manage to get an answer to the question that had been gnawing at her. She'd kept meaning to ask about the nature of Kelly's work but was always distracted by girls fighting, missions to accomplish or just her own lack of physical self-control. MI7. Didn't that just fit? She smirked, almost leaning forward for a parting kiss before she remembered they were in the open and visible to at least 8 separate surveillance teams. Soon as all this was over, she was scaling back on security.

"Good luck." Kelly whispered before speeding away. In less than 10 hours they'd be back together and the entire future would be different. Both were sure of that.

* * *

The party was already raging by the time Camilla, Thwaites and the girls all returned. Every telly in St. Trinian's was blasting the news reports. Each station had a different story: Battle on the Thames, Romeo and Juliet on Drugs, Sir Piers Pissed, Shakespeare Community Shaken! No one network had the whole story so they ran what they knew while desperately scrambling for more information. The announcers were drowned out by the noise of the girls screaming and singing to their victory.

The returning heroines were greeted with resounding cheers that made the windows rattle. As soon as Belle walked in the school anthem blasted out over the speakers, guaranteed to wake some villagers from their mediocre dreams. The Banned was playing and looked to her at the crucial moment. That was when Annabelle realized: she'd done it. She'd pulled everything off and won. She was their leader; they believed in her. She was now a legend in her own right. She grinned and took a bottle of ale from the bar; raising it high in the air, leading the chant:

We are the best.  
So screw the rest.  
We do as we damn well please.  
Until the end, St. Trinian's!  
Defenders of anarchy!

Belle felt the vibrant energy that charged every word as scores of voices joined with her own. She was the head of a primal force, unstoppable, unspeakable. The rush was a high all its own. She drained the beer and threw it against the wall, dancing in the throng as the school became enthralled in its own spell. She and Roxie danced side by side for the duration of the anthem and the next song, cementing their alliance. The Banned had an awesome catalog, anything they played guaranteed to incite shrieks of excitement and enthusiastic gyrations.

By the third song Annabelle was looking around. Never losing the rhythm of the dance her eyes scoured the room, seeking that familiar black bob. Where was she? She promised. Belle had resisted calling or sending an SMS, firmly believing that Kelly would be here tonight, like she'd said. Naturally, there was the persistent worry in the back of her mind that Kelly's job had gotten her killed. If that were the case MI7 better watch out because Annabelle now knew _exactly_ who to go after. An army of bereft St. Trinian's would make short work of any government agency.

She sighed in relief when she felt a tap on her shoulder. That feeling vanished when she turned and saw, instead of Kelly, Chelsea. She was careful not to let her disappointment show. No reason to have the girls know she wasn't enjoying the party because she was too busy waiting for Jones to return. Except Chels could read body language like a bloody primer.

"She's here, Belle." the Totty smiled, radiating the same amount of excitement Annabelle felt at the words.

"Where?" she immediately spun around, wondering how Kelly could slip in without her noticing. Come to that, how did Chelsea see her and Belle not? The blonde laughed, grabbing her shoulder to pull her back round.

"Not _here_ here. She SMSed me to send you up." Chels rolled her eyes meaningfully towards the ceiling. Annabelle smiled, finally understanding. Of course. If Kelly Jones wasn't at the party, there was only one other place she'd be.

"Right. Take my place?" she shoved Chelsea over to dance with Roxie.

"I suppose." the Posh pretended to resist but didn't hesitate to slip into the rocker's personal space. Roxie's smile was hardly protest.

"And make sure you do everything I wouldn't." Belle gave her a salacious wink and sped away before either girl could reply. She ran (difficult in stilettos) through the hallway and vaulted up the stairs. She paused at the door for a moment, just long enough to catch her breath and let the flush leave her face. Stepping through she was greeted with cool night air and total stillness as she sealed the revels behind her with the click of the door latch. The roof of St. Trinian's was one of Kelly's favorite places, able to survey her beloved territory like some ancient monarch.

The spy was standing at the wall right now, listening quietly to Tania and Tara with an inscrutable expression. The Twins glanced up when they heard Belle's approaching footsteps, their faces guilty as they mumbled excuses and retreated. Annabelle watched in confusion as they fled the roof and turned in askance. She didn't even have a moment to register the emotion in Kelly's eyes before she was pulled into a searing kiss. Not seductive or romantic, it felt like Kelly was trying to make a point. Belle couldn't pull away, she couldn't even breathe. The tension in Kelly's hands as she clutched Belle's shoulder and neck was almost frightening. She could feel Jones' lips trembling.

"Don't you ever, _ever_ do that again!" Kelly finally broke away and whispered, voice shaky. She rested her forehead against Belle's, trying to take deep breaths to calm down. She'd sent Belle alone, so sure the new Head Girl could handle anything that happened. She'd never stopped to consider the worst case scenario. She'd never imagined a moment that risked Belle even coming home. A gun. He'd had a gun. Who the hell pulls a gun on a bunch of school girls?

"Don't do what? Win?" Belle asked in confusion, frightened by the intensity radiating off the older girl. She'd never seen Kelly like this. She would never do it again, whatever it was, if this was the result. What was so unthinkable that the unflappable international agent was shaken?

"The Sopranos told me what happened. Under the stage." Jones explained, her jaw clenching as she thought of the scene she'd missed. What if Belle had tried to be stubborn and heroic? What if he didn't want to leave witnesses?

Annabelle's mind raced, trying to catch up with all the emotion. The way her lips were still aching from the kiss was what made it click. Kelly had to be sure she was really still there, still alive and safe. She almost laughed, realizing Jones had just gotten a sample of exactly how she felt every time their calls got interrupted. She'd tasted helplessness and fear and had to get the flavor out of her mind.

"I'm ok, Kel. I'm here. Nothing happened. I wouldn't be that stupid," Belle cradled Kelly's face in her hands, "You think I'd let some prat kill me when I know I get to see you?"

Jones's answering chuckle broke the tension, letting them both relax into the embrace at last. They rested against each other, slipping easily into the familiar comfort. Belle let out a breath of relief, wrapping her arms around Kelly's shoulders and resting her head so that her lips could move lazily over the femme fatale's cheek.

"Guess I'll just have to make sure you can always see me." Kelly's voice returned to her signature playful husk. Belle leaned back a little, curious but skeptical.

"What? You going to be MI7's official liaison to St. Trinian's?"

"Somehow I doubt I could sell them on that idea; we have very different ideas about liaisons," Kelly ran her fingers along the hint of skin just below Belle's hem, "Besides, it'd take a dozen agents just to keep the Sopranos in line."

"Then what, Agent Jones, did you have in mind?" Belle played with the black hair between her fingers, loving the sparks of mischief and desire she could see in Kelly's eyes. She always looked like she was in on the biggest prank in the universe. Maybe she was. Maybe the prank was on the universe for letting someone like Kelly Jones slip in.

"I got you a present." Kelly stepped away and pulled a sack from behind the bean bags. Belle smirked. This wasn't a change of subject, it was her answer. _Fine, I'll play along. _She gave her a suspicious glance and opened the bag, jaw dropping as she saw the two items inside.

"Kel!" she protested as she slid out the new Mac Air, adorned with a bright red bow. Attached by ribbon was an Iphone.

"Heathrow has a lovely Apple store. Polly set us up a completely secure network and phone line. It already has a full suite up and running for video conference. Built in cameras, mics, the lot." Jones showed her the Iphone video chat function, already pre-programmed with Kelly's new cell number.

"Polly?" Belle's mind was still spinning and that was the first word she could focus on.

"I got her a job at the agency. She does all my digital work. Sort of the ultimate IT consultant." Kelly explained.

She'd had to endure quite a bit of teasing and a very long lecture as payment for the Geek's help. She'd set up a telecommunications server that would take years for MI7 to even notice; twice that to hack. Ultimately, Polly still wanted her two friends together by any means necessary. She just wasn't above the occasional cheap shot; like the fact that when Kelly first opened her new laptop the background picture was herself and Belle kissing. And - tho Kelly hadn't found out yet - the redhead had planted a small program into her phone to make "Love is a Many Splendored Thing" Belle's ring tone. Permanently.

"This is, it's, Kel -," Belle stammered for words, trying to swallow the knot of emotion that seemed to be blocking her mouth. Kelly took the gifts from her hands and set them aside.

"It's a start, Belle. I may not be able to hold you every night - like I want - but I can see you. See you're safe. We can actually talk again and I can hear your laugh instead of having to imagine it from words on a page." Kelly squeezed her shoulders.

Belle stared at her, stunned that Jones had just spoken the exact feelings that had been stabbing her heart for weeks. She'd heard the pain in Annabelle's loneliness and had been suffering the same. Now Kelly had found a solution. She wouldn't allow something as trivial as distance come between them. She certainly wasn't going to let Belle out of her life. She was going to make them work; this was her promise, wrapped in a crimson bow. Only Kelly Jones could turn a couple of electronic devices into the most romantic gift ever.

"Can we leave them on all night so I can fall asleep looking at you?" Belle bit her lip; half joking, half sincere.

"Long as you promise not to snore." Kelly teased, looping her arms around the brunette's waist.

"Hmm. I'd worry more about me calling your name in my sleep." Belle retaliated, smirking when Kelly instinctively ran her tongue over her lip at the thought.

"Guess there are a few things we won't be able to do." the older girl admitted . Annabelle laughed, knowing which fantasies were slipping away from the seductive spy. Digital options were really quite limited with . . .certain things.

"Then we'll just have to be creative, won't we?" Belle leaned close and kissed the serious expression away.

"And compensate when we can." Kelly murmured her agreement between fluttering touches. They enjoyed a few minutes of languid caresses, Belle only breaking away when she could feel her impulse control starting to slip. _Not yet._ Time enough for that later, tonight there was still one thing they had to do.

"You have to dance with me. At least one song." she tugged Kelly towards the door. Jones laughed and agreed. The party raging downstairs was in honor of their victory, in honor of Frittons in general and Belle especially. Kelly wouldn't miss it.

On their way back to the main hall the girls paused, noting movement in the shadows of a side corridor. Creeping closer and adjusting to the dim light they could just make out the cascade of blonde curls that was Chelsea's trademark. Except it wasn't _just_ Chelsea. Her victim wasn't exactly resisting. Annabelle covered her mouth to muffle her snicker and Kelly's brow arched indifferently.

"I wouldn't have expected her to be quite so melodious." Jones commented, watching the heavy snog session. The lilting sounds echoing off the walls didn't quite fit with the edgy and raw demeanor they'd all accepted.

"She is a musician, you know. Good pitch." Belle pointed out, restraining her laughter.

"I hope you had a wager on them." Jones turned to look at her expectantly.

"A few actually. Less than a month since the start of school, night of a party, Chels in control and," a loud thump made her pause as the Posh Totty dragged Roxie to the floor, "Helpless to get to a bed. Yeah, that wraps me up a tidy 500£."

"Nice." Kelly grinned.

"Say cheese, loves." Belle murmured as she pulled out her new phone, snapping a quick picture. The flash should have disturbed the hall's occupants but didn't even register a twitch. They left the corridor, Annabelle smiling as she reviewed the photo.

"For posterity?" Kelly leaned over her shoulder and looked at the picture, both the girls _and_ their activity unmistakable.

"Blackmail. Lucy would have far too much fun if we let the Geeks have this." Belle grinned. With this darling bit of material in her pocket they'd be able to keep Roxie and the Posh Totties under control for ages.

"Now you're thinking like a Head Girl." Kelly laughed. They burst into the main hall still chuckling and were immediately sucked into the noise and exuberance of the party. Annabelle wrapped one arm around Kelly and held her new toy at a distance, snapping a shot of them dancing together. Beautiful for her new wallpaper. The party was now officially perfect.

Inevitably, other girls noticed Kelly's presence and came over to shout about their triumphs. Celia proudly pointed out her environmentally sound contribution. Jones had to hear the whole story from Zoe and Bianca in a new style she thought of as 'Conflicting Stereo.' Even Camilla felt the need to throw a convivial arm around the former Head Girl's shoulders and reenact the decoy stage scene in which Thwaites had finally confessed his love. Annabelle watched, listened and laughed as Kelly's eyes occasionally begged her for rescue.

If Kelly were leaving in the morning, or anytime the next day, Belle would've been far more selfish. She would've secreted the seductive spy away in her room, locked the door and refused access to any and all. Instead, knowing Kelly would be here the rest of the week, Annabelle was willing to share. There would be more than enough time for private activities later. For tonight the Head Girls united with their classmates, the whole school reveling together as one throbbing, organic mass. They were part of the living entity of anarchy.

They would've danced all night except by 3 am the four members of the band were all playing different songs and the dance floor was littered with comatose bodies. Instead, Kelly and Belle grabbed a blanket and went back to the roof. They sat on the edge of the wall with the blanket around their shoulders and their legs dangling in space. They watched the night sky blaze with the First Year's homemade fireworks until morning light.

* * *

_Incredibly relieved to be done with all the events of both movies - now the story can just go wherever I want to take it! Within reason, I promise._


	7. Interludes pt 1

**Interlude**

Kelly's week home at St. Trinian's was an educational experience for the new students. No longer distracted by the temptation of mysterious rewards, lost treasure or dangerous, sexist, secret societies; they began to notice something a bit odd was going on with their Head Girl and the enigmatic visitor.

For the first night, the naive simply assumed Jones slept in the Head Girl's room as a recognition of her former rank. The second night was the victory party, everyone either passed out or slept downstairs. Plus, Belle and Kelly spent the night dancing or sky gazing from the roof. It was on the third night of Kelly's visit, when the muffled sounds continued to bleed out from under the door crack, that even the youngest Geeks were starting to grasp the true nature of the relationship.

This led to a whole new series of challenges. The more experienced students tried to warn the younger ones, tried to explain why pranking the Head Girl and her girlfriend was a bad idea. But, like food poisoning, they wouldn't understand until they'd had the experience.

On the fourth night a few Chavs and Flammables decided to use one of the leftover smoke bombs from the AD1 mission. They set it off right outside the Head Girl's room just as the sounds were getting interesting. They giggled in a cluster, watching from a distance for the expected panic and nude escape. After all, smoke starts billowing up under your door, you have to think it's a fire, right?

Wrong. Belle cursed when she smelled the smoke and climbed off the bed. She and Jones were both surprised the girls had managed to wait this long.

"Just hold that thought. Won't be a moment." she winked at Kelly and grabbed her slicker from the cupboard, throwing it over her desk to protect their computers and phones.

The girls held their breath when the Head Girl strode straight out of the room in her full birthday suit, not even pausing to glare at them. She marched straight thru the smoke to the fire alarm, depressing the plunger to set off the klaxons and sprinklers, then went back into her room. The school went into chaos; Geeks' laptops shorting out, Chavs and Totties losing power to their curling irons, First Years new experimental batch of Absinthe was ruined, even teachers screamed as the downpour ruined quiz papers and cocktails. In Belle's room the two girls smiled, pretending they were simply making love in the rain.

Belle didn't have to worry about administering any punishment for the prank. The entire student body did it for her. After that, the senior members of the tribes instituted their own crime watch. It was already enough to be scared of Kelly Jones' wrath, now they were learning to fear the unpredictable nature of Belle's temper as well. They were developing the appropriate respect and dread due any St. Trinian's Head Girl, realizing they'd all severely underestimated the supposedly kind but eager Fritton.

The cliques took turns on daily rotation, watching out for the Head Girl and her room. Anyone seen with suspicious packages, loitering or even giggling in the near proximity was immediately seized and handed over to the Sopranos for interrogation. The tiny terrors could elicit marvelous confessions with remarkably simple tools; like duct tape and a vacuum hose.

Kelly and Belle, upon realizing they now had round the clock bodyguards, were naturally delighted to capitalize on the advantage. They began setting up their own fake gags just for the fun of seeing the vigilantes swing into full witch hunt mode. They never let the Sopranos actually drag any innocent girls away for torture but it was hysterical watching everyone fly into fits of accusation and misinformation.

"Its Chav's night. What about an audio bug? Find one of them under the box springs and I bet Bianca's temper would melt her own jewelry." Kelly suggested while working the knots loose from Belle's shoulders.

"Nnnnnn." The Head Girl could barely formulate words, let alone a coherent response while the strong fingers were kneading the tension out of her muscles. Kelly could've suggested bringing Zoe in for a threesome and she wouldn't have been able to protest.

"Was that going to be a 'no?'" Kelly teased, leaning close and sinking her thumbs directly into the tender spots between Belle's shoulder blades. Fritton groaned, leaning into the pressure as she felt the rocks in her back melt away.

"Mmmmm." she confirmed the assumption, wondering if there was anyway she could work this indulgent, local treatment into a full body experience. Sadly, the magical hands eased back and simply rested around her shoulders, tracing an idle pattern on the skin of her arm.

"Did you have something else in mind?" Jones leaned back on the pillows, pulling Belle down to rest against her.

"'S Friday." Annabelle murmured, wishing she never had to move again. The sparring matches with her aunt and school calisthenics really hadn't prepared her for the exercises of Kelly's return. She was pretty sure she pulled something last night. _So worth it, _Belle grinned lazily.

"Ah, so you supervise Flash's business as well?" Jones' smile held a note of satisfaction. It wasn't mandatory the Head Girl be present for the Spiv's weekly trade. Kelly had simply found that it helped her stay more informed and in control of all St. Trinian's activities and Belle had obviously followed her example.

"Have to. Roxie wants to kill him." Belle yawned. With a sigh of resignation she rose from the comfort of the bed and Jones' arms.

"Why's that?" Kelly watched Belle change into one of her more provocative outfits, complete with man-killer stilettos. The camisole showed off her delicate shoulders to advantage but also had a plunging neck line that enhanced the graceful length and curve of her throat. It was important Flash never feel too comfortable. Kelly was already thinking about getting it off.

"Cause with you gone, me off-limits and the rest of the girls underage, he's been watching Chelsea quite close. Course you know Chels, she can't help but flirt."

"Roxie has a jealous streak?"

"Makes me look absolutely indifferent." Belle confirmed, remembering the days when she couldn't look at Flash without wishing for a weapon.

Jones watched Belle slip on her favorite accessory. The torn/bit choker had been modified into a bracelet, the lock dangling gracefully against Annabelle's wrist. Belle wore it often. Kelly knew that Belle had worn gloves to Globe Theatre specifically so she could hide the charm underneath. It didn't take much to deduce that Fritton wore the amulet when she wanted the former Head Girl with her.

"It will be even worse now she and Chels have actually started something on the side." Kelly took her cue and rose from the bed.

"Is that what you'd call it? Looked pretty center stage to me." Annabelle laughed, checking her makeup.

Kelly grabbed a fresh shirt and slipped it onto her mostly naked torso, watching as Belle touched up her lavish lipstick. She slid behind her, circling arms around her waist, certain her open shirt allowed the other girl to feel her body with minimal interference.

"We could just let nature take its course for tonight." she husked, kissing Belle's bare shoulder. She loved the feel of Annabelle's whole body purring at her touch.

"You fight dirty." Belle murmured, bracing her arms on the vanity so she didn't completely buckle as lips moved provocatively over her exposed skin. To hell with lip liner.

"I do _everything_ dirty." Kelly corrected, moving to taste down the back of Belle's neck, sweeping her hair aside and planting a kiss on each bone.

"I just have to be there 'til the Totty's done. Shouldn't be long." Fritton insisted, torn between losing this moment and neglecting her school duties. It was impossible to choose between Kelly and St. Trinian's because they were all one.

"I'll just have to make sure of that." Kelly released Belle and stepped away to button up her shirt. Fritton swallowed her usual sigh of disappointment at losing Kelly's touch. She straightened and ran a brush through her hair, contemplating the international spy's modified style. Kelly had traded the naughty schoolgirl uniform for a more grown up set of pencil skirts, minis and button down blouses that always ignored the 2 or 3 top buttons. Naturally, this was aside from her all black stealth wear. The leather jacket alone was a deadly statement.

"It's sure to be a memorable night." Belle commented as Kelly slid into her heels and joined her at the door.

"The business meeting or after?" Kelly smiled playfully as she wrapped an arm around the brunette's waist as a gallant escort.

"Both, I should think." Belle returned the smile, moving her arm to an identical position on Jones. Their expressions grew into devilish grins as they sauntered off to meet the man that they had been delightfully torturing for years.

Most of the school knew tonight might be a bit wild. Belle had told the Sopranos to have tranquilizers handy in the depot. Just in case. Flash was just in the middle of arguing with the Emos about the commercial viability of monogrammed miniature branding irons. Kelly and Belle slipped in relatively unnoticed as Zoe was pretty close to demonstrating the branding technique on Flash's cheek.

"No is no, Zoe. Next up." Belle caught Zoe's hand, forcing the sizzling brand from her hand. The head Emo hissed at her but sulked away without further comment. Flash looked up to say thanks and immediately shot out of his chair

"Kelly! You, uh, you're back then?" he struggled to find something to do with his hands, as always. Pockets, no; vest, no; countertop, no; fidgeting all about the nose and ears in a distinctly unhygienic manner, maybe. Belle never had this strong an effect on Flash, no one did other than Kel.

"Just home for a visit. Thanks for your help as a courier these few weeks." Jones smiled and squeezed his arm. He blushed dark red, even under his beard. Gratitude from the former Head Girl was as rare as affection.

"Well, it's a pleasure, innit? Letters always smelled lovely, they did. Like perfume or somethin.'" his nervous smile was completely sincere.

"I'll be in touch if I need you to pick anything up, for now we have some other arrangements." Kelly maintained her effortlessly professional demeanor.

"Do you? Good, good, great. Just give me a ring anytime, Kel. I'm your man!" he joked , grinning at his own play on words. Kelly just gave him a patient smile. Belle stifled her laugh, wondering how she'd ever been jealous of Flash Harry. It was so painfully obvious the only emotion Kelly felt towards him was pity.

Speaking of jealousy . . . Ah, yes. Belle's eyes swept the depot and spotted Roxie with Chelsea, Saffy and Bella. She looked like the punk mascot for Posh Totty. Or maybe she planned on joining them? Annabelle smirked as she imagined the foursome; _Bouncy Bella, Sassy Chels and Silly Saffy present the newest slapper: Angry Roxie. _She could probably handle the S&M branch of their business.

"Ahem! If you're quite ready?" the incisive voice of Lucy broke in, "We were next to go ahead with delivery."

"What? Oh, yeah! Right, on with, with - let's go on, shall we?" Flash tried to regain some sort of composure as he settled back in his chair, forcing his eyes away from Kelly. She joined Belle, resting against one of the walls as the Geeks stepped forward and placed two boxes on the counter.

"All six titles you wanted, still two months to store release. 50 copies each." Lucy confirmed from her clipboard. St. Trinian's brainiest bunch were out to prove that digital bootlegging was every bit was profitable as the alcoholic variety. Flash nodded, opening the box and pulling out one of the neatly packaged DVDs.

"Right, very sharp. Looks quite authentic. Good quality is it? No blokes walking past the screen, right?" he turned the shrink-wrapped case over in his hands.

"Analog recording in real time would've taken too long. We decided it would be quicker to hack the studio's mainframe and download the digital file directly." a hint of irritation crept into Lucy's voice. As if she'd make her tribe crouch in some theatre with a camera! Flash stared at her a moment, trying to process the words she'd spoken and failing completely. His mouth worked silently a few times before seizing on words.

"Oh, right. Good idea, that. Swell job!" he nodded a little too enthusiastically, closing the boxes and pushing them aside before the Head Geek could offer anymore confusing explanations. Each tribe leader made his head hurt, just in different parts of the brain. The midget mafia (Tania and Tara) were the absolute worst; he always made sure to deal with them last.

"See the way the corner of his right eye is twitching?" Kelly leaned close to Belle and whispered.

"Like a strobe light." Annabelle agreed. Jones nuzzled close to Belle's ear so it just looked like they were cuddling, instead she very quietly imparted some key information.

"Means he's already past his comfort zone. Geek speak rattles him something awful. You really want him flustered? Get a Geek and Chav arguing in front of him, you can see his brain totally shut down. Then send in a Posh to flirt and he snaps like a fresh crisp."

"Speaking of which." Belle watched the three blondes step up to the counter. Roxie hung back, arms crossed and a disdainful glower in her eyes. Annabelle could only hope she'd never looked that obviously peeved back when it was Kelly doing the flirting.

"This is a long overdue product, it completely fills a prominent hole!" Saffy recited, eyes almost crossing as she struggled to remember the lines Chelsea had written. Flash blinked rapidly, desperately praying that wasn't the pitch.

"Saffy!" A sharp nudge from the lead Totty cued her that she'd forgotten part of the script.

"In the market! Fills a prominent hole in the market!" Saffy amended urgently. Flash let out a sigh of relief, met by echoes and giggles from the rest of the room. He picked up the ornate tin, just small enough to fit in a breast pocket. He opened and saw the tiny, white, heart shaped sweets. He popped one in his mouth before closing the lid and looking at the print. He nearly spat the candy across the room.

"'After Sex Mints?'" Flash read the label with a hint of bewilderment.

"They'll fly off the shelves. Stock them anyplace people are looking to shag; bars, clubs, stables, parliament -!" Chelsea effused confidently. Flash held up a hand, interrupting her flow of suggestions.

"Look, I'd get Before Sex Mints, right, but _after_? What's going on in bed that's going to ruin your breath?" he protested. Kelly and Belle both gripped each other tighter to stifle the urge to laugh. Flash had a way of really setting himself up for trouble.

"Well, I could demonstrate if you like." Chels offered, exchanging glances with the rest of the Totty. Half innocent, half suggestive, it was hard to know exactly how serious Chelsea was. Flash choked and sputtered, speechless for the second time that night.

"Parker!" Roxie's coarse tone accompanied a firm grip on Chelsea's arm. The rocker was gnashing her teeth so hard she might grind them to powder.

"What? He asked!" Chels protested as the angry musician pulled her away.

"Doesn't mean you have to get your knees dirty!" Roxie growled, dragging her out of the depot. Silence reigned in the garage as they listened to the protesting sounds of Chelsea fading to the background. Roxie wasn't happy but Chels was the one person capable of fixing that.

"What, we on holiday suddenly? Next up!" Belle barked at the girls who were all standing around like movie extras. Kelly hid her smirk by ducking her head. Annabelle had definitely become the Head Girl she expected. TnT marched up to the counter, pushing bottles of three new experimental vodka flavors forward. One was Chip flavor. Kelly chuckled as Flash swallowed a knot in his throat. It might be years before he had an easy time at these meetings.

* * *

Friday morning. Kelly's brief holiday time was over. She trudged over the gravel to her car, fist and fingers clenching irritably over her keys. She felt bad enough as it was, sneaking away while most girls were still nursing hangovers. Belle was already sitting on the car bonnet, too finely tuned to Jones' subconscious cues to miss the hints of her imminent departure. Kelly sighed, wondering if it would ever get easier to see Belle when she knew she had to drive away from her. The new Head Girl was reclining on the car, leaned back against the windshield as though she were sunbathing. Her long legs stretched out over the black metal, daring the eyes not to linger over the long expanse of creamy skin.

"You get footprints on my bonnet?" Kelly asked teasingly, leaning over the car so her face was the first thing Belle saw when her eyes opened. Her lids lifted and sudden hazel/green exploded out of her face, sparkling happily.

"I could have the garage clean it up for you. Shouldn't take more than two days." she answered, smile tugging the corner of her mouth. Kelly chuckled, threading her fingers into the hair behind Belle's ear. She never stopped trying.

"And when MI7 agents come to attack St. Trinian's on the assumption you've taken an agent hostage?" she inquired in a low, breathy tone.

"You're assuming they could make it past the Twins' new defenses. They collaborated with the Geeks to create a whole new finely-tuned detection system. Yesterday a ground squirrel was decapitated for trespassing. This morning it was a sparrow that violated airspace."

"Good to know you're safe." Jones smiled, brushing over her lips with a light kiss.

"Wish I could say the same for you." Belle turned serious for a moment, trying to avoid pouting but not quite succeeding.

"I'll call as soon as I'm in. I promise. It'll be easier now." Kelly assured her, noticing the Iphone tucked into Belle's skirt pocket.

"I can't make you stay, can I?" Annabelle sighed, running a finger over the darker girl's lips and cheek.

"You can certainly make me wish I didn't have to leave." Jones sighed, leaning forward for another kiss. They were disrupted by a sudden overhead tornado, complete with throbbing wind noise. Kelly's head jerked up, spotting the chopper coming in over St. Trinian's roof. Belle bolted upright, memories of AD1 flooding her system with adrenaline. The helicopter glided in and hovered just above the parking lot. A cable dropped to the ground that slithered and tightened as a body rapidly descending.

Polly hit the ground on both feet and pushed her glasses up on her nose. A rope ladder landed just behind her.

"Pol?" Annabelle asked in surprise. She was excited to see her friend but mostly bewildered by the exaggerated entrance. The former St. Trinian marched forward, unfazed by the hundreds of eyes glued to her and her transport.

"Hi Belle, good to see you. We have to head straight to Pakistan, Kelly. Terri's already en route. The agency will send someone for your car." the Geek spared any preamble and grabbed the rope ladder, extending it to Jones. Kelly hesitated, eyes scanning the massive audience and then taking in the worried look on Belle's face.

"I guess this is my ride." she joked, taking hold of the line. Polly was watching them both very closely, looking for any hint they'd progressed to a more mature relationship. _None. Stupid bints._ Polly sighed internally.

"You just wanted to make an impression." Belle commented, eying the chopper as Kelly mounted the rungs.

"Did it work?" Kelly leaned towards her, body hanging artfully from the loose ladder. Belle smiled, blushing the way she always had before. She stepped closer and caught the spy as she moved with the chopper line, swaying in the gentle wind.

"Right from day one, Jones." she whispered and kissed her firmly, causing much cheering from the spectators. Kelly grinned, cheeks flushing as they broke away. Polly jumped onto the ladder as well.

"Right, Sleeping Beauty is a go!" she ordered into her handset.

"Sleeping Beauty?" Kelly demanded as the chopper started to lift skyward, the ladder gradually being pulled in as they climbed up.

"Until you wake the hell up!" Polly shot back, her answer lost to most by the chopper blades slicing through the wind. Kelly frowned a little and glanced back to earth, seeing Annabelle staring up at her as they departed. An old line that she'd once heard Headmistress Fritton speak now whispered in her mind.

"'If it be thus to dream, still let me sleep!'" she murmured, waving to the ever retreating figures below.


	8. Interludes pt 2

_I'd hoped to finish this section in just 2 chapters but it looks like it'll have to be three. Still, hope it's as fun to read as it is to write! Credit to my 3 fav's - Brit&Pro, Undone and Constant. All those brilliant updates keep me thinking creative! _

**Interlude 2**

Belle sat in her room reading Zoe's copy of Frankenstein and cracking up. The Emo leader must not have known that Bianca got hold of the book at some point and had decided to do some creative editing. Words and whole sentences were scratched out, occasionally replaced with commentary and references to the Emos. It was amazing. The Chav had actually read the whole book just so she could vandalize it. It had to be the longest Bianca had ever concentrated on anything.

"**I don't tell anyone about the way you hold my hand," **the familiar song punctured the silence as her cell phone burst to life. Belle smiled. She needn't have bothered giving Kelly a custom ring tone since the spy was the only person who even knew this new private number. Still, she was a bit of a sappy romantic and the song always made her smile. Just like she did on seeing Kelly's name on the caller ID.

"Hello, beautiful." she used her most seductive tone. The immediate response was a slight intake of air on the other end, followed by a soft, sensual chuckle.

"_I hope you don't answer all your calls that way." _Kelly's voice hit Belle like a sunbeam on a cold day.

"Only former Head Girls. Promise." Belle teased.

"_Ah, so JJ been chatting you up has she? Knew I couldn't trust that cow." _Kelly responded immediately, giving them both a laugh.

"So do I get to see you? Are you decent?"

"_Yes on both."_

"Pity." Belle put a hint of melodramatic disappointment into the sigh.

"_Doesn't mean I have to stay that way."_ Kelly pointed out, activating the video chat. There was always a pause in the conversation when they saw each other, a moment of silent appreciation and emotion as eyes catalogued every detail. Just seeing each other tended to derail their thought process for a few seconds. Belle had found it was a great way to turn the conversation in her favor, suddenly turning on the video feed so that Kelly forgot her point. Except, Annabelle also forgot what they were talking about.

"You're awfully far away." Belle finally commented.

"_You'd think the hockey pitch is too far away. Specially when you're in bed." _Kelly evaded easily. They always played this game, the St. Trinian trying to work out exactly where her spy was.

"True, but this time you are. You've not got your makeup on, which means you're thinking of bed soon. That puts you at least 10 hours ahead. So, maybe east Australia? Or Indonesia? Course, I'm assuming you got home at a decent hour. You might be clear in America with the yanks."

"_You're getting good at this." _Kelly's lips twitched with a hint of pride. She'd never confirm or deny Annabelle's guesses, but she always found the game flattering and impressive. She was in Micronesia, not that she could say so. Jones really wished she could take the phone outside to her balcony and show Belle the beautiful seascape under the night sky.

"I can hear the waves." Annabelle added, smiling at her triumph.

"_I wish you could be here with me. You'd love it." _Kelly admitted, feeling the knife twist in her stomach when she looked outside and saw the full moon illuminating the water.

"I'd love being in Baghdad so long as I was with you!" she sighed a little. It had been nearly a month since Kelly's last visit.

"_Well naturally, there you'd get to see me in action. Kicking ass, chasing terrorists, the usual Rambo sort of thing."_

"Maybe let your partner take a bullet or two?" Belle laughed, seeing Jones' eyes roll heavenward. She didn't know much about Kelly's workmate but from her and Polly's stories, he was a right git.

"_You know he managed to wreck a speed boat today? He didn't even have to! He just doesn't think docking like a normal person is classy enough, has to drive it halfway up the bloody pier!" _

A knock at the door interrupted Kelly's tirade and Belle's laughter.

"Yes?" she held the phone away for a moment so the visitor wouldn't see Jones' face. As if everyone didn't know that the Iphone was Kelly's direct line to the Head Girl. They'd learned never to interrupt when the familiar device was pressed to Belle's ear. The last person who'd tried to sneak the phone away nearly lost an eye to Belle's fork and quick reflexes. The stitches on Zoe's temple were healing nicely and mostly covered by her makeup anyway.

"Delivery van waiting at the gate, Belle. Flying a green and white flag?" one of the younger girls reported, radio in hand as she received reports from the watch.

"Ah, that'd be the new espresso machine. Flag them in, have the Sopranos organize the unload." Belle nodded and got to her feet. The girl scampered away, relaying orders.

"_New coffee machine? Feeling extravagant lately?" _Kelly inquired, tired of staring at the view behind Belle's shoulder. Fritton just smiled, bringing the screen back to a position where they could see each other without being a road hazard. Her first few days with this portable video chat she'd nearly broken her neck.

"Miss Maupassant has been complaining about our lattes for ages now. I convinced the local village Starbucks to contribute one of their machines to the school."

"_One of those little table top jobs?"_

"No. The actual machine from behind the counter."

"_Just how did you inspire _that_ kind of generosity?" _Kelly's eyes widened every so slightly.

"Easy enough. I just sent girls into town to fetch her coffee every day for a week."

"_And they were moved by the plight of a desperate teacher with elite coffee taste?" _Jones' smirk was full of playful skepticism.

"Not exactly. It was Zoe and Bianca I sent in. Together. They lost so much business in that week they realized it'd be cheaper to just give us the machine and get a new one." Belle couldn't contain her own grin. She was quite proud of this little coup and how well it had worked out. It was actually only four days before the Chav and Emo returned and reported (in argument form) that Starbucks was ready to bribe them to stay away.

She met the Twins at the front entryway, supervising the twenty First Years swarming the delivery van. The men inside looked terrified. They had the expressions of trapped animals, hoping for rescue. The sight of Belle did not instill any hope.

"Don't let the guys out of the van! If Anoushka spots them she'll flip her lid!" Annabelle ordered when she saw one door starting to open. One of the girls immediately slammed it shut, nearly taking off his foot.

"_Her own private barista would be a dream come true." _Kelly laughed.

"I know. Fortunately I think she's passed out right now. Tania and Tara had her testing Trinski purity all night." Belle watched the machine trot past her at chest height, hoisted on the shoulders of a dozen little girls.

"Any problems with it?"

"Her vision went blurry for a bit but that cleared up. The 150 made her cough so hard she burst some vessels round her eyes. The garage girls actually want a few crates of it for paint stripping."

Kelly's immediate response was cut off by a series of loud and infuriated shouts storming down main hall.

"Bloody hell, Parker! You're unbelievable!" Roxie shouted, stomping out the entryway, face almost purple with rage. The familiar click of Chelsea's heels followed rapidly behind her, trying to keep up with Roxie's furious pace.

"What? Roxie! What's wrong?" she demanded. Roxie stopped short and spun around. They were about ten feet from Belle and the delivery van but completely oblivious to any audience. Annabelle made certain to turn the phone so Kelly could watch the whole altercation.

"You don't know? Really?" Roxie stalked into Chelsea's space, growling, "You took a damned phone call!"

"I'm a Posh Totty! That's what we do!" Chels protested, forehead knotted with innocent confusion and worry.

"Not with my hand up your skirt!" the rocker roared. Chelsea was speechless a moment, mouth working helplessly. She fiddled with her hair nervously.

"I thought it would be more authentic?" she offered weakly, cringing. Roxie stared at her, anger and horror warring for territory in her expression. Unable to verbalize her astonished rage she hissed out a final curse of disbelief before turning sharply on her heel, storming away.

"Roxie, Roxie! Wait!" Chelsea resumed the chase, dauntless even in her guilt. Belle and Kelly looked at each other on the phone screen, mirrored expressions of bemused wonder.

"_How many fights is that this month?" _Jones' eyebrow twitched up curiously.

"That makes 14. I swear they're addicted to anger sex." Belle shook her head in wonder. Normally she'd call it makeup sex but the sounds and scratches precluded that description.

"_Naturally. Roxie is all anger, Chels is all sex. Want to bet they top 20 before month's end?"_

"That'd be 6 more fights in a week." Annabelle hesitated. Kelly never offered a wager that she'd lose, no matter how improbably the odds. She was right of course, Jones knew that Chelsea was coming up on her period and would be an absolute pissy cow for the rest of the month.

"_Scared to take a wager, Fritton?"_

"What's the win?"

"_Loser stays naked my entire next visit." _Kelly's lascivious smile sent chills down Belle's spine.

"You're on." she grinned. Either way things went she couldn't lose.

* * *

Kelly Jones was frustrated. Not just her usual, 'waking up alone and celibate for the 23rd time this month' frustrated. No, this was a whole new level of homicidal aggravation. She was back in the UK for the first time in a month. Not just in England but back in London itself, barely an hour from her beloved St. Trinian's. But could she go home? Noooooo. No, she had to be stuck in this dismal squat doing surveillance on the sodding terrorist they'd followed clear from Afghanistan. He couldn't just make contact with the sleeper cell and get on with business could he? He had to settle into a flat, order take away and watch endless hours of 'forbidden' telly. Which meant she was holed up with Terri until he finally finished his bloody religious fundamentalist mission!

She rammed the cleaning brush down the barrel of her disassembled pistol. She had the parts strewn across the coffee table on a towel and was painstakingly scrubbing and oiling every millimeter. It took her mind off the fact she would be spending the whole night listening to Terri's misogynistic banter instead of calling Belle like she wanted. At least with her handgun taken apart she was less likely to put a bullet through his head. Or her own.

"How many times you going to scour that barrel, Jones? The sound is getting on my ears!" Terri demanded, pulling his eyes away from the binoculars. He was the classic MI6/7 agent - convinced that a proper wardrobe and hairstyle replaced personality.

"Some of us like to keep our tools in proper working order. Wouldn't want to be found lacking when called upon to perform." Kelly kept her face completely straight, allowing the dig to register in his subconscious first.

"Hey! I've never had any complaints about tools or performance, thank you very much!" Terri's mind caught up to the insult. Kelly stifled her laugh.

"Really? The new accounting girl says you've had some trouble with misfires."

"Aw, hell with her! She's just pissed I was done with her bottle blonde self." Terri growled, scowling out his lenses again. Jones smirked, beginning to reassemble her weapon. Polly had filled her in on the office gossip revolving around her partner. The latest girl had been far too new to know she was supposed to keep her mouth shut about office liaisons. Terri's shortcomings (nudge-nudge, wink-wink) had therefore become fairly public knowledge.

"That aside, when was the last time you polished your piece?" Kelly slid the gleaming pistol back into her shoulder holster.

"I keep hoping you'll offer to do it for me." Terri glanced over with a wink. Christ, she hated this ponce. Really? She had to spend the whole night with him without so much as one sanity-saving moment in conversation with Annabelle? This was going to be hell!

"Serious, Terri. I haven't seen you clean your gun once this last week. Let's think of what it's been through just the last 4 days: the sandstorm outside Kabul, a decorative waterfall in the park, that lorry of fish guts you crashed us into, and I know you spilled your curry all over it last night. I'd wager it can't even fire!"

"That so? Wager what?" Terri rose from his seat, pulling out his pistol. Kelly paused for only a moment, her mind racing as she realized the prime opportunity he was handing her. She couldn't hesitate for more than a breath, lest he realize just how important this was. Was he really this stupid?

"I don't know about you, but I haven't slept proper since Tehran. How about loser takes all tonight's watch? Alone." she shrugged casually, hiding the surge of excitement that had her heart hammering. _Please, oh please be the idiot I think you are._

"Night off, eh? Sure, why not? Plenty of local girls in the little black book that would fancy a surprise visit!" Terri smoothed his shirt front with a thoughtful smile. Kelly suppressed her sigh of relief. She forced her lips into a stern expression and held out her hand for the pistol. Her partner tossed it over and she racked the chamber, noticing the overpowering smell of turmeric. She felt like her fingers should be sticking to the grip.

"Right." she smiled, pointing the barrel directly at Terri's balls. He didn't even have a chance to register shock before she squeezed the trigger. There was a muffled, damp click and then nothing.

"Bollocks, Kelly! What're you playing at?" Terri sagged back in his chair, the color gradually bleeding back into his face.

"Figured I couldn't lose either way." she flashed an insidious smile and tossed the pistol back into his fumbling hands.

"You're a right proper bitch, Jones!" Terri glared.

"Just figure that one out? You're slower than I thought." She went to the door, pulling her leather jacket on with a triumphant smile.

"You know what you need?" Terri got to his feet, drawing her attention, "A good, hard shag!"

Kelly took in his sexist fury and just grinned wider. Was that line supposed to be threatening or sexy? He couldn't pull of either.

"You're absolutely right, Terri. Good thing I know _exactly_ where to get one." She blew him a kiss and pranced out the door, gloriously free.

_Review to keep me motivated. _


	9. Confessions

_Here's the explanation/justification for the earlier references to Quantum of Solace. Rather angsty, consider yourselves warned! Please review!  
_

**CONFESSIONS**

"So, of course the Twins led the assault and the only place the Flammables could hide was the poison ivy garden. They've been itching for days and are running round in skivvies cause no one will touch their clothes for laundry. " Belle finished the story, delighting in Kelly's laughter.

A rare sunbeam warmed their patio table at this small London bistro and made Jones' black hair shine. Annabelle felt her breath hitch at the radiant aspect of Kelly's smiling aura. _God, I love her. _Maybe it was just time to finally give in. She could only be stubborn so long and right now the emotion swelled up so fast and hard in her throat that she felt she might choke. Perhaps it was time to confess.

Kelly noticed Belle's breathing catch a moment and watched the younger girl's eyes flicker with feeling. She was fighting an internal war with the words that apparently were on the brink of spilling out her parted lips. She hid her own grin. _Not yet._ Kelly had put far too much planning into this day to let Belle blow the gaff early.

"You want another tea?" Kelly spoke a second before she saw Annabelle's lips start to move. This caused the brunette to pause, blinking in confusion as she tried to throw her brain into reverse.

"Yes, please." she stammered a little, relieved she still had enough control of her mouth to force out the correct words. She felt her cheeks burning as she realized just how close she'd come. It was probably still too soon. Yeah, 16 months was too fast to be pulling out the L-word. Best take it slow. Really slow. Glacier speed, in fact.

Kelly allowed herself a faint smirk as she poured a fresh cup. She could read Annabelle so easily, that flush creeping up her face listing all her doubts and insecurities. It wasn't entirely fair, throwing her off balance like that but Kelly had a plan, damn it! She was fully aware and in control of the situation. It was going to be perfect.

They'd been apart 5 weeks and the spy had gone to great pains to arrange an ideal day off together. They'd already spent the morning at the National Gallery (for nostalgic purposes) and would shortly make for a West End matinee. For supper she'd booked them into a posh restaurant. The place usually required reservations six months in advance but Jones had done one of their best patrons a favor (ignoring his contraband side business) and he'd offered her the use of his private table as thanks.

The only detail Kelly hadn't planned was whether she would express herself first or let Belle do so. Better to wait and see how the moment felt. Every time they saw each other online over horrendous distance, each time they basked in the pleasure of conversation, the feeling grew more irrepressible. After this long it was miracle that 'I love you' wasn't simply the first words out of their mouths. In a way, it was. 'Good morning,' _I love you. _'I miss you,' _I love you. _'I dreamt of you last night,' _did I mention I __**really **__love you? _'I had curry for supper,' _and I love you anyway._

Watching Belle's colored cheeks and her familiar habit of biting her lower lip when she was nervous, Kelly felt her own resolve waver. It would be interesting to see if they made it all the way through to evening before the truth burst out of one of them like a Christmas cracker. For the moment they both were content to be together and loosed from the strictures and stress of St. Trinian's and its student body. The day was a beautiful, open horizon.

"Jones! Bloody hell, I thought that was you!" a brash voice burst through their happy bubble and Kelly's shoulders braced angrily. There were now storm clouds moving in.

Belle looked up at the sandy haired intruder who'd stopped right beside their table, leaning on the patio banister. He had the look of a man that assumed every girl in the room admired him. She took an instant dislike.

"Terri. Thought you were hitting up some bird in Chelsea." Kelly gave him an irritated glance. The last thing she wanted on her day off was to endure the company of her partner. She especially didn't want him around Annabelle. The student was just smirking as she recognized the name and finally had a face to put with all Kelly's more ridiculous stories.

"Eh, she gave me the elbow. No real loss, that. Found out she's been seeing more traffic than Circle Line." he leapt over the railing to stand beside their table, nicking a biscuit to nibble.

"You're a sodding hypocrite, Terri." Kelly frowned but her comment was wasted as he was busy staring at Belle.

"Absolutely right," he agreed wholeheartedly without even hearing, "And who's this then? What's a sweet girl like you doing hanging about with the likes of our Kelly?"

"I'm Annabelle. We're old schoolmates." Belle put on her best smile, genuinely happy to be meeting this crucial character in Jones' life and adventures.

"Is it? Wait, wait - Annabelle? _You're_ the elusive and mysterious Belle?" he gasped dramatically. The effect lost by the crumbs dribbling from his lips on the exhalation.

"Not deliberately." she evaded modestly. The way her eyes lowered making her all the more innocently sensual.

"Terri, don't you have somewhere to be? There must be another scrubber eager to catch a dose off you." Kelly growled. Terri ignored her, dragging a chair over from a nearby table and straddling it as he eagerly stared at Belle.

"Well, well, well. So this is the dear old school chum that she's always talking with! You know I always know it's you on the phone cause that's the only time I see her smile."

"I smiled last month when that Yakuza girl boxed your ears." Jones corrected but knew she was being completely disregarded. Belle's hazel eyes sparkled with laughter, winking across the table at her.

"How ever has she kept something as delicious as you so secret? Kelly, I'm hurt! You know my type, you should've introduced us ages ago! Wouldn't you enjoy spending some quality time with a dashing government agent?" he leaned close to Belle, giving her his most charismatic gaze. Annabelle very nearly pointed out that she was already doing exactly that but Kelly cut her off by catching the man's ear in a pincer grasp.

"Terri, your type is any slapper with a two drink maximum. Now piss off, this is my only holiday this month and I don't want to spend it smelling your hair wax." she stated firmly into her partner's wincing face. It was the only way she could ever really communicate with him. Fortunately, he accepted it as a natural facet of their partnership. Blokes were weird that way. He just grinned playfully at her, oblivious to her simmering irritation cum jealousy.

"She loves picking on me. Can't ever make her happy, this bird. Almost think she hates me but you know what, Belle? I figured out why, yes I did." Terri swatted the hand away from his ear and leaned back towards the object of his interest, drawing her towards a conspiratorial whisper.

"Oh yes?" Belle masked her chuckle. She knew _all_ the reasons Kelly hated Terri and could list them in either chronological or alphabetical order. It would be interesting to hear his theory.

"It's cause of her work with Bond in MI6." he stage whispered. Was he actually drunk this early in the morning? That was the only explanation for this suicidal behavior.

"You do talk a lot of rubbish, Terri." Jones rolled her eyes. Behind her cool expression her mind was racing. _Bollocks. Don't do this. Don't bring that up. Please, Christ, Buddha, Santa Claus, no!_

"She shagged her way up, this one. Of course, once you've bedded an agent like that MI6 bloke none of the rest of us are going to measure up, innit?" Terri nudged Belle's elbow. He couldn't possibly have seen the sharp flash of emotion in her eyes right before the metal gates slammed shut behind the swirling gold and green. Her whole face went hard without changing. Kelly groaned to herself.

"Belle, don't listen to him. Let's go." Kelly got to her feet.

"Actually, my stomach's suddenly a bit upset. I think I'd best head back to school." Annabelle rose, her ashen expression gutting Kelly. She couldn't get through the walls in her gaze.

"That's fine. I can drive you." Kelly held a hand out for the keys. Belle flinched away even from that harmless gesture. Jones felt sick.

"No, no. Wouldn't want you to miss out on your day off. Here, Terri, you can go ahead and have my seat at the theater. Enjoy yourselves." Belle tossed her ticket onto the table and quickly darted away, hiding her face before the tears began to spill down her cheeks. Kelly reached to grab her arm but the girl ran away too fast. Terri got to his feet slowly, lifting the matinee ticket to Les Mis.

"What a top bird. Great looker, very sweet. Generous to boot! You have to put in a good word for me." he announced, throwing a friendly arm around Kelly's shoulders. She turned to glare at him.

"Terri, you utter twat!" she clenched her jaw and brought her fist up hard and fast. The punch connected with his chin strong enough to launch him over the next table. He collided with a waiter carrying a pitcher of water and they both went down in a icy cold shower. Kelly didn't wait to see the damage, throwing notes on the table and leaping the banister to chase after Annabelle.

* * *

Kelly's Triple sped towards St. Trinian's on the quiet rural road. Belle had moved so bloody fast! Just leapt into her car and raced off, leaving Jones to fetch her bike from the garage, which gave the pissed Fritton a sizeable head start. Maybe it would give her time to think and calm down. Kelly seriously doubted it and just cranked her engine to higher velocity. She cursed herself. It had to come out sooner or later. Why hadn't she just talked about it sooner? That way Annabelle could've heard the proper truth. Not that it was _so_ great and proper. She groaned internally, mind spiraling back to the memories.

_Kelly flicked the switch to her tiny studio flat, only to make the lamp immediately burn out with a small pop and hiss. She sighed and flung her duffel to the ground. She hadn't been back in weeks. Flights, missions, training, more flights . . .it had been endless and now all she wanted to do was collapse onto her bed, call Belle and ask the younger girl to just talk to her through her dreams. She couldn't, of course, but that was what she longer for. She stepped into the living room and realized the hair on her neck was prickling. She could feel someone else breathing._

_She instantly pulled her Baby Eagle 9mm from its holster. She'd originally been issued a Browning but it was far too heavy for fast reactions. If she was feeling patriotic she'd have gone with a Taurus. Except there was simply no arguing that the Israelis knew how to make a bloody good gun. She felt the comfortable glide of the safety click off under her thumb without a sound. She leveled the barrel at the patch of darkness she found particularly suspicious._

"_I see they gave you the accelerated training course," a woman's voice greeted from the dark, "Tell me, how long since you've slept?"_

_Kelly didn't answer at first, just moved to where she could reach a table lamp and turn it on, casting lighter shadows through the room._

"_What day is it?" she replied, sizing up the calm, middle-aged woman sitting so comfortably in her lounger. _

"_Thursday." the woman was holding up her badge, the familiar seal and shield giving her government identity. M . . .I . . . 7?_

"_Then it would've been last Monday night." Jones holstered her weapon. The only thing worse than threatening a fellow agent was threatening a superior. _

"_They've probably given you, what, 8 hours rest before your next assignment?" the stranger nodded sympathetically._

"_Six." Kelly sat down in the chair across the way, keeping one hand close enough to her side holster to draw at a moments' notice. The woman saw the defensive posture and internally approved._

"_Doesn't leave you much time for yourself and your own concerns, does it?"_

"_What could concern me more than the country's protection?" Jones easily deflected the searching question. She wasn't answering anything until she knew the other woman's agenda._

"_There's always the need for a bit of rest. A chance to reconnect with home and family."_

"_You're obviously confusing me with someone else," Kelly laughed, "I haven't spoken to either of my parents in 3 years."_

"_I wasn't talking about blood relations, Agent Jones. I meant your real family. You are, after all, a St. Trinian."_

"_What do you want?" Kelly demanded, disturbed by how easily this woman had scythed through the layers of her defense right to the core of her most recent thoughts._

"_I think we can help each other, Agent Jones. You can help me return a favor to a friend in your branch. I can get you out of MI6, get you a more regular schedule. More time for yourself and your life."_

_Kelly paused, considering each individual word and the way they added up together. At the same time she sized up the speaker, a woman with an unusually open expression but cunning eyes. A more regular schedule was incredibly tempting. Particularly if there truly was more time off. She might even be able to get out to the school grounds for a change. See Belle in person. What a thought! That'd be worth almost anything. Almost . . ._

"_What sort of favor?" she raised one eyebrow skeptically. She'd been working for the government a scant 4 weeks and already figured out no one offered to give without one bloody massive take being in the formula as well. The woman sighed, eyes roving the room before she spoke._

"_MI6 has an agent that's quite promising, absolutely excellent at getting the job done really. But you could say he has trouble staying focused. They need help reining him in. M has asked for my help in getting him a tad more dedicated to the mission. That's where you would come in. He needs a bit of emotional involvement to stay properly motivated."_

"_What, you want me to go piss him off?" Kelly knew that wasn't the case but wasn't about to speak her real assumption._

"_I want you to get him emotionally involved with you. On some - any - level."_

"_You mean seduce him."_

"_Actually, he prefers to do the seduction himself, an ego thing I suppose. But yes, ultimately 007 does his best thinking between his legs. You don't have to like it but you probably will have to slip between the sheets."_

_Kelly was silent a long time. One job. Get this wanker to like her, motivate him to finish the job proper, then walk away. Out of MI6 - which had been proving something of a nightmare. It was fun, trying to outsmart their surveillance and figure out clever ways to stay in touch with Belle but if Jones didn't get to see her lover in person - SOON - she was going to implode. There would never be time to get to St. Trinian's. Not so long as she stayed with this department. With MI6 the only way she'd see Belle is if the girl became an international threat. Which, given Annabelle's temper and mounting frustration, was a legitimate possibility._

_She didn't particularly care for the offer on the plate. But, hell, she'd been sexually manipulating Flash for years. Was it really so different? Get the bloke wound up then push him off on his job. She didn't relish the idea but if sleeping with another agent was the quickest shortcut back to Annabelle Fritton, she'd do it. Hopefully it just wouldn't come to that. She was Kelly Jones, after all - sex was the bait, not the hook. Actually shagging would be the last, L-A-S-T resort._

"_Right, you better fill me in on this scam." Kelly leaned forward, 56 hours without sleep but suddenly awake with hope._

Kelly gritted her teeth, barreling around a sharp turn so tight she felt the heat of air friction between her leg and the macadam. She'd known there would be a price to pay for that scheme. She just kept putting it off in her mind. It had been almost 6 months ago! It had gotten her what she wanted: more time with Belle. In exchange for one night (the memory of which made vomit rise in her throat) she'd had months of greater latitude, able to slip back to St. Trinian's for whole weekends at a moment's notice. Wasn't it worth it? Was it?

Her cell phone erupted, ringing the earpiece in her helmet.

"What?" she tapped the line open, angry that anything or anyone was trying to get her attention right now.

"_Then something __**is**__ wrong. Thought as much when Terri called me up cursing and sounding like he'd smashed into a wall." _Polly's voice came into her ear.

"I hope I broke his ugly nose." Kelly spat. Figures he'd go crying to Polly. Hadn't he figured out that the other third of their team was on her side as well?

"_What happened, Kel?"_

"He told her about Bond."

"_What, all of it?" _Polly was the only person besides Kelly who knew the whole story.

"No, only the worst parts. Made it sound like I shagged my way out of MI6."

"_Almost did." _the dispassionate Geek pointed out. She wasn't one for mincing words.

"Polly!" Jones would've hurled some choice curses at her but at the moment had to concentrate on threading her way between two slow lorries.

"_Calm down, Kel. Belle is a reasonable girl. Just tell her what happened. Tell her the truth."_

"What, you think I'd lie?" Kelly demanded in horror.

"_No, I mean tell her the TRUTH." _the redhead's voice suggested she was rolling her eyes.

"Right, cause the exact moment she thinks I've been cheating on her is the perfect time to tell her I'm in love with her! That won't come across as convenient or manipulative at all! She doesn't trust me enough to believe it right now." Kelly groaned. She'd been planning on telling her today! Now there wasn't a chance in hell.

"_She may __**never **__trust you if you don't tell her. Your choice, Kelly." _Polly signed off before Jones could answer. Kelly listened to the passing seconds of static on the open line. It sounded like her head. She was sick over her mistake, guilty that Belle found out from someone else, furious at Terri and even angry at Annabelle for believing him and not hearing her out. _This is just all bollixed up._

* * *

It was their first fight ever. It was epic. It was terrifying. The first wave of fear washed through the dorms when Belle stormed in, rushing past them all like an electrical tempest and slammed herself in her room. Emos stopped their incantations and rose from their crypts. Chavs turned off their stereos and iPods. Even the scrolling data from the Nikkei Stock Exchange went ignored by the stunned Geeks. The few who'd seen her swore she was crying, others said she was red with rage. The students all stared at each other in confusion, the last sound having been the resonant click of the Head Girl setting her door lock.

The second wave was a jumble of hope and horror as Kelly Jones swept in not 15 minutes later. Any illusions the girls had that the arrival of the government agent heralded peace and resolution was destroyed when they saw the set of her jaw and the flash in her black eyes. She didn't even knock on the locked door, just produced her own key. Belle had foreseen this choice and when Kelly went to open the door found it obstructed by a chair lodged beneath the handle. This didn't go over well, Jones had a temper too. A solid kick forced the door the rest of the way open, the chair collapsing on itself with a wooden crunch.

"Have you heard of knocking?" Belle's angry shout was cut off by the door slamming for the second time. The Tribe leaders all exchanged frightened glances. They knew the Head Girl's room was soundproofed. They shouldn't be able to hear the angry shouts and sharp emotions. Except they could. In muffled tones of low and high: accusation and rebuttal, they could follow the building current of the fight.

"Better get Miss Fritton. This isn't our league." Celia nodded to the Twins who were both still staring open-mouthed at the vibrating door. They snapped their jaws shut and charged at cannon speed from the room. There was a definite sense that if something wasn't done - _soon -_ the school wouldn't stay standing.

* * *

"You can't seriously believe what he said! Terri's an utter ponce, ask Polly!" Kelly shouted, furious that Belle had attacked her the moment she walked in the room. She didn't even let her try to explain!

"Even an idiot can grasp the obvious and he's with you every bloody day! He knows more about your life than I ever will! I saw your face, Kelly! It's true, I can _see _it!" Belle raged, her entire body trembling except her fists, which were curled so tight her fingers had gone white. She stood on the far side of the room, torn between keeping her distance from Kelly and outright attacking her. Jones kept stepping from one side to the other, moving in an arc around the defensive posture, looking for some opening. Opening for what? She wasn't sure yet. Maybe if she could just get hold of her she could make her listen, shake some sense into her!

"He doesn't know shite! Why won't you just listen? Stop being such a damned stubborn Fritton!"

"Frittons can smell bullshit! You're full of it, Jones! How many others haven't I heard about? Did you stick to just the one bloke or shag the entire department for novelty? Whatever happened to not mixing business and pleasure? Better tell Flash you've changed your policy, he'll want in on the action."

Kelly was trying to keep a lid on her boiling anger but her pride just couldn't take anymore abuse. Invoking any reference to her sleeping with the Spiv was too low a blow to ignore. _Right, gloves off!_

"That's what it always comes back to, isn't it? Your suspicion! Flash was only the beginning. You never believed I didn't shag him either. You're too bloody insecure to realize I haven't even looked at anyone except you!"

"Well, congrats on nobbing with your eyes closed!"

* * *

Out in the dorm, the same girls that had fearlessly withstood an invasion by AD1 were huddled together in petrified clusters. Emos and Chavs had arms around each other, Geeks welcomed the Posh Totty into the security of their numbers, Flammables and Ecos whimpered together. The First years were mostly hiding under their pillows, blankets or beds, only identified by occasional sobs. TnT sat staring at their hockey sticks glumly, yearning for an enemy to punish.

The fight would have brief moments of silence and Kelly would suddenly burst out of the room, swearing angrily. Her infuriated departure was always halted when she remembered another point of argument and would spin around, marching back into the room to resume hostilities. The door had slammed 12 times in the last hour.

Camilla had come upstairs and surveyed the situation, wincing at a particularly loud shout. She sat on an empty bed and as many girls as possible climbed onto it with her, clinging to her stability. She wrapped her arms around them, muttering soothing words to calm the more emotional ones as they sobbed into her blouse.

"Maybe we could slip an explosive under the door? Or just a camera?" Lucy suggested nervously

"And have them after us, you mad?" Bianca demanded.

"Sure, it might, you know, distract them. Enemy of my enemy and such." the Geek pressed her idea. A few other girls seemed to consider the option. Anything was better than this.

"No. No, girls. Apart from the fact that I believe the whole school exploding wouldn't distract them right now; this is a lover's quarrel. They must work it out for themselves." Camilla firmly declared. Violence, mayhem and vice were their business but matters of the heart were forbidden.

"So, what? We just spend the whole day listening to them go at it like this?" Zoe moaned. Her love of all things horrible didn't include having to hear two of their idols rip each other apart.

"That hardly sounds pleasant, does it? What say we put up the projector downstairs and watch a film?" the Headmistress suggested with an encouraging smile.

"Can we watch a Bollywood?" the Chavs immediately perked up.

"No, one of the Tarantino's!" the First years chimed in - instigated by Tania and Tara.

"We have the director's cut of Twilight." an Emo pulled the DVD from under her bed.

"What, you want to make us suffer more?" Bianca grimaced in revulsion.

"You just want to kill our brain cells with too much color and perky music!" Zoe shot back, defending her own.

"What about Kill Bill?" TnT suggested.

"I think I'll be selecting our entertainment for the evening," Camilla announced to mild sighs of disappointment, "Come along. Lucy, please have the girls get the projector set up. Bianca and Zoe, refreshments if you please."

The girls all nodded at their assignments and crowded out of the dorm, happy to be away from the crisis going on just yards away.

* * *

St. Trinian's most infamous Head Girls had shouted themselves hoarse. After two hours of screamed accusations and recriminations there wasn't enough vocal power between them to continue. The tense silence had stretched out for minutes now. Kelly leaned against the door, arms crossed angrily as she waited for the burning in her throat to subside. Belle was sitting on the floor by her desk, arms wrapped around her legs and her face buried in her knees.

It was only when Jones noticed the shudder in Belle's shoulders that she realized the girl was crying. She'd hidden her face and was sobbing in total silence, unwilling to show the weakness of her emotion. Kelly felt a wrenching ache in her ribs. Annabelle was in pain and it was all her fault. Why had she even tried to justify or defend herself? Her pride shattered into a thousand pieces, blowing away in the same sigh that took all her anger. This was her mistake. She had to make it right.

"Belle, please. I just want to talk and know you'll listen." Kelly dropped to her knees, daring to come forward to within a few feet of the hurt girl. Belle's head shifted ever so slightly, just enough for her red-rimmed eyes to peer over her own arm.

"Did you sleep with him?" she demanded in a hoarse whisper. Jones felt her stomach sink. She reached out to brush her fingers against Belle's hand. Nothing for it now but the truth.

"Yes but -"

"Go to hell!" Belle pulled away, starting to get up but Kelly lunged forward, enwrapping her firmly with both arms and holding her in place. Annabelle struggled, fighting to break free from the secure hold.

"No! Belle, listen to me! I _slept_ with him, I didn't shag him! I swear to you, I didn't." Kelly shouted, finding a new surge of power in her spent vocal cords. Belle stopped resisting, for a moment they could both just feel each other straining for breaths.

"I'm listening." Annabelle whispered after an eternity. Kelly let out a deep sigh of relief, resting her forehead against the soft brown hair and letting it tickle her cheek. Finally getting somewhere.

"They wanted me to, I know that. They expected me to end up shagging him. He expected it. Hell, for a moment _I _thought I was going to go through with it," she tightened her arms, feeling Belle tense up again, "But I didn't. I couldn't. Belle, it was going to be the only way I could get back to you and I'd convinced myself I could do it if it meant holding you again! It went further than it should've, makes me sick to think about that night. I just kept picturing you, imagining your lips, your hands . . .and then he was above me and I had a flash of total clarity. I saw it wasn't you and Belle, I was terrified. The thought of letting anyone else touch me!"

Silence. The only sound their mingled breaths as both held back tears.

"What happened?" Belle's question trembled as it came out her lips.

"I brought my knee up into his kidney and flung him off me, over the edge of the bed. I was angry and frightened and just knew it couldn't happen. Before he knew what had happened he was laying on the carpet, naked and still hanging onto a piece of sheet,"

She was relieved to feel Belle chuckle ever so slightly,

"I had to think fast. No way was I going to be telling him I didn't want him touching me because he wasn't the girl I'd been sleeping with for nearly a year."

"What'd you do?"

"I invented some load of pony about getting molested by an old boyfriend. PTSD, trauma, counseling, even put on some waterworks and Belle? He bought it! Swallowed the story whole!" Kelly laughed a little at the memory. If there was anything old 007 liked better than a hot bit to shag, it was a damsel in distress.

"So what'd he do then?" the younger girl turned in her arms slightly, meeting her gaze openly for the first time since London. Jones smiled, grateful to be staring into unguarded green and gold. She wanted so much to lean closer and kiss her, to reassure, to promise. She knew Belle wouldn't let her. Not yet.

"He pulled some traditional, gallant cliché about being content just to fall asleep next to me. So that's what we did. Slept. Next morning he suggested he might help me get used to good touches again and I let him have his bit of fun. Just some kisses and such, he really doesn't take much to get off. More in love with himself than anyone else."

"He kissed you?"

"No. Not my lips. I swear, Annabelle." Jones reiterated, not realizing how tightly her fists were clenching into her lover's arms. Belle could feel the anxious sincerity in the grip.

'_Do you know how angry I am with myself?' _she'd played the part so well, pretending to hate herself for not being able to go through with anything more. That allowed Bond to continue his preferred role of chivalrous romantic. It also allowed Kelly to avoid anything more serious.

Belle rose without a word, one hand grabbing Kelly's to pull her up as well. She faced her, searching deep into those obsidian eyes for any hint of deception. Jones braced herself nervously but didn't back away from the scrutiny. There was nothing to hide anymore and she let Annabelle plunge through her soul as deep as she needed. Belle hadn't expected to find anymore secrets and let out a shaky breath of relief when her hope was confirmed.

"I believe you." she whispered softly, stroking down Kelly's porcelain cheek. Jones let out a breath she didn't even realize she'd been holding. Her lips curved into a hesitant smile. Belle felt her heart flip at the sight. She laced her fingers into long black tresses and pulled the spy into a kiss. The long embrace communicated a world of apologies and absolution that mere words could never convey. When they separated for a breath Belle could feel Kelly's happy grin against her cheek.

"No one else will ever touch me, Belle. I promise." Jones murmured, turning her face deep into the scent of auburn hair. Belle's fingers clenched on her shoulder and neck, shivering with the sensation of breath against her ear and the words it accompanied.

"I know, Kelly. I know you're mine." she answered, feeling her heart break ever so slightly as she thought of the words she'd desperately wanted to confess just this morning. She loved the former Head Girl so much it made her lungs ache for air. If only she could say . . ._tellhertellhertellherTELLHER!_ Annabelle shook away the screaming instinct in her mind. Right after their first fight wasn't the time. She didn't want a moment so sweet coming right on the heels of such a bitter experience.

She surrendered to exploring touches, concentrating on every sensation as she tracked fingers and lips. Only in the fervent urgency of Kelly's embrace did she let her body speak for her,_ I love you; _instinctively knowing she felt an echoing reply in her lover's skin, _So much._


	10. Interludes pt 3

_After the drama of the last chapter I wanted to just write something entertaining. I don't know why I find this as funny as I do. I think it's sleep deprivation. This is the last of the interludes - no plot movement, just fun. Been really busy/stressed this last week so I hope the style hasn't suffered.  
_

**Interlude III**

Zoe stumbled into the upper dorm, walking like a zombie; even more than usual. It was after class time so the sleeping area was alive with activity. The bustle and commotion might've been on fast forward as the Emo moved on like a somnambulist, oblivious to all sight and sound.

"Are you alright?" Beth looked up from her book of runes when Zoe sat heavily down on her bed, still staring into space. The tribe leader's eyes barely even flickered.

"Oi! Have you lot done something to her again?" a few of the other Emo girls got to their feet, realizing something was awry and immediately assuming the Chavs were behind it. The Rude Girls turned from their improvised musical performances, ready to delight in yet another round of conflict with their favorite enemies.

"Looks cabbaged to me. You get into the wrong formula again, did you?" Bianca smirked, waving a hand in front of Zoe's unblinking eyes.

"Nah, she's just been chatting with the dead and found out they think she's tit boring too!" Jess bumped fists with another Chav, laughing.

"Wait, I think there's something really wrong. Look." Roxie had been drawn by the scene. Chelsea joined her, arm draped over her shoulders as they both bent close to scrutinize Zoe's expression.

"She looks stoned to me. Just not as angry as usual." Bianca shrugged, cracking her gum as her final punctuation.

"She doesn't have any signs of concussion." Lucy had come over and shined a light in the contemplative eyes while checking her pulse.

"I know what's happened." Chels chimed innocently.

"Oh really? What, is her brain off with the star fairies like yours?" the Geek gave her a tired glance.

"No!" Chelsea pouted, then crossed her arms irritably, "You have that tracker on Kelly's bike. I bet if you check it'd ping up on the grounds here somewhere."

"'Ping up?' You mean register GPS coordinates?"

"It pings when it shows on your screen! I see the little blue dot and it goes ping!"

"Whatever." Lucy glanced over to her tribe and saw a faint nod confirming Kelly was indeed on campus somewhere. Her motorcycle was parked behind the garden shed. Smart location, she could've cut across the pitch behind the brush without the lookouts catching her. They never could spot her bike coming in since the former Head Girl knew over a dozen possible routes onto the property plus the exact timing and location of the watch shifts.

"What's Kelly got to do with Zoe being wazzocked?" Roxie sometimes felt that keeping up with conversations in this school was like tap dancing on ice. Chelsea was the only one who could answer and she savored the triumphant moment, eyes dancing as she looked at her waiting audience.

"Same thing happened to Andrea last year. She got that exact same look after being the first - and only - girl to see Kel and Belle having a moment in the laundry."

"Oi, I remember that! She looked like she might have to be spoon fed for the rest of her life. Major brain damage that!" Bianca popped her fingers.

"What, are they that sick? Or did they attack her for spying?" Roxie stared at Zoe's traumatized expression. No signs of bruises or cuts. Of course, there were plenty of weapons that wouldn't leave a mark; a brick of soap in a sock was a favorite amongst the younger girls.

"Andrea never said. When she snapped out of it she refused to talk. Pretended nothing ever happened." Chels shrugged one shoulder. There were some mysteries just too great for them to unravel. Everyone stared at Zoe, looking for some clue in the vacant face.

"Kay. If it's Kel and Belle it must be they're in the first floor hopper again."

"Nah, Tuesday is first floor cleaning day. They're in the private gym!"

"No ways, there's no lock. They'd only be there after midnight. Must be the larder."

"Someone in the kitchen would've heard. Second floor art closet!"

The suppositions bounced around the room as everyone posited a theory. Zoe didn't hear them. The lead Emo was completely internalized, trying to absorb and explain what had just happened. She knew her nights were about to get a lot more restless. The image of Belle behind Kelly, long fingers caressing her pale throat while she moved her lips over the skin of her neck would war with the memory of Kelly gripping Annabelle's slim wrist, guiding her hand. Both mental images would slip into her dreams where blood and death were supposed to be.

That wasn't what would keep her awake, though. No. She would be staring at the ceiling for nights to come remembering Kelly's smile. It shot straight through pleasure and out the other side to pure bliss. The beatific, euphoric expression that curled the corners of her mouth rocked Zoe to the core. She had never thought such a level of physical and emotional euphoria could be known, let alone seen. If that sort of ecstasy was possible in this world, maybe death wasn't the sweetest release in life.

* * *

Kelly shifted into 5th gear, enjoying the feel of the coastal highway coursing beneath her tires. She touched the remote for the coupe's stereo, releasing a blasting bass beat. Belle had sent her the latest tracks that the Banned of St. Trinian's was working on. Promising. With good music, blue sky and her engine smoothly humming at over 150 km/h, it was almost a perfect day. The only damper was the three cars ripping up the road behind her, bullets zinging off the paint.

"Would you get some distance?" Terri shouted, his torso twisted out the window to return fire. Kelly rolled her eyes. She rather hoped at least one of the morons chasing them was a decent shot and would nail her partner. She hadn't yet forgiven him for that episode with Belle last month. Stupid git.

She felt her jacket pocket vibrate as the opening notes of 'Love is a Many Splendored Thing' rang out. She smiled, shutting off the radio and feeling for her cell phone.

"You're answering? Now?" Terri paused his return fire long enough to stare at her in horror as the car swerved dangerously.

"Shuttup, Terri. And would you keep them off us? That last volley nicked my mirror!" Jones snapped right before thumbing the 'answer' button, "Belle! How are you, luv?"

"_Bit of a . . . .here . . . .stupid slap- . . ." _the answering voice was scythed with static. Jones frowned. What she could hear of Fritton's voice sounded stressed. She glanced at the clock and quickly calculated the time difference. It was barely 6 in the morning at St. Trinian's. The whole school should still be asleep. What could have the Head Girl up and worried so early?

"Belle, you're breaking up. Come again?" she veered to cut off one of the pursuers that had been trying to edge up.

"_Chels' birthday . . . .all buggered -! . . .I was first to find. . . . Others don't know yet . . .gonna be piss-!" _the few keywords that came through only made the confusion worse. Kelly scowled as Terri emptied his clip at the exact moment the line started to clear.

"Terri, you can't shoot worth a damn! Belle, I can't make you out, can you SMS?"

"_What? Kel, . . .bad signal . . ."_

"Can. You. SMS?" she repeated louder and more firmly. A barrage of fire hit their rear windshield, the bulletproof glass shrieking with ricochets.

"_Kel! Have to . . ." _the last of her words were cut off.

"Belle! Belle?" the line went completely dead and Kelly gritted her teeth, swallowing the surge of panic that was rising in her throat. What the hell was going on?

Two more shots ripped her side mirror off.

"Sod this!" Kelly shifted to 6th and slammed her foot to the floor. The convertible shot forward, a yelp announcing that the momentum had made Terri hit his face on the car. She watched their pursuers fall behind, caught off guard by the sudden burst of acceleration.

Pulling her weapon she kept one eye on the twisting road as she took aim at the two rear roof latches. Two clear shots blew the levers clean off. Terri shouted some confused protest, climbing fully back into the car as Kelly's fist punched upward, jettisoning the hardtop. The bulky metal flew backwards, skidding over the pavement and forcing the cars behind to swerve. The first wasn't quick enough and the collision forced them into the barrier rail. The other two veered, too preoccupied with avoiding a crash to watch Kelly pull a 180 turn.

"Think you can hit 'em now?" she demanded of Terri as she burnt rubber, racing straight towards the two remaining cars. Her partner just grinned and matched her bullet for bullet as they both emptied their clips at the astonished enemies. Kelly hit one of the drivers and smirked in satisfaction as the unmanned auto crashed into the last car, locking them both in a spin of screeching metal and shattering glass before hitting the cliff wall.

Kelly slowed to a stop alongside the carnage. Terri scanned the wreckage, satisfied there had been no survivors. Jones' phone vibrated once with a message. The words brought a line of worry to her forehead.

_Crisis. Come home._

"Right, tell Polly to get the jet ready. Let's get that bloody chip turned over so we can get the hell out of here." Kelly slammed the car into reverse, spun it round and peeled off down the scenic highway once more. The smoking patch of rubber was destroyed when the crashed cars both exploded.

* * *

Belle sat on a bench in the upper hall, watching the mayhem and chewing her fingernail. It had been nearly five hours since that failed attempt to call Kelly. The situation had definitely deteriorated.

"_Damn it! Open the bloody doors!"_

Annabelle winced as yet another resounding thud drove a spike into her headache.

The last hour had been especially hectic as only around 10 am did St. Trinian's truly wake up.

"Strongest we have." Zoe drifted up alongside her, extending a handful of painkillers. The Emos always had the widest variety of drugs and she trusted Zoe to pick out something appropriate. Even Anoushka used their pain pills for her hangovers. Belle gratefully tossed down three of the tablets.

"Right! Cavalry's here!" Bianca raced into the corridor shouting, making Belle nearly choke. She forced herself to finish swallowing, despite the stabbing pain, before turning on the Chav. The lead Emo had quicker reflexes.

"What, you think your tongs are gonna fix this?" Zoe hissed, baring her teeth.

"You're just scared of what I could do with 'em," Bianca shot back, "Specially to you. Besides, I didn't mean me. Lookout picked up Kelly's bike tearing through the village."

Belle smiled, feeling the muscles in her shoulders start to relax for the first time since dawn. Thank God for SMS. She grabbed her radio and opened the channel.

"_You can't stay in there forever!" _

"Tania, are your girls in position yet?" she demanded as she got to her feet.

"Almost, Belle." the young voice crackled back to her.

"Well once they are tell them to wait. It's a last resort. Tara," she turned to the other half of the deadly duo, "Same to you. Hold for my signal."

"Yes, Belle." they both gave their reply, still in perfect stereo even when they weren't in the same room. Annabelle ran from the hall, racing to St. Trinian's front entry just as a whirlwind of dust and tire smoke heralded Kelly's spinning stop. The spy jumped off the motorcycle without even bothering to set the kickstand, rushing forward to catch Belle as the younger girl leaped into her arms.

"Christ, Belle! What's happened?" Jones held her tight, urgently checking her over for signs of injury, abuse or disease. Fritton just laughed in relief as she clung to Kelly's black leather.

"I'm fine, Kel, really. It's not me." Belle reassured, seeing the worry etched in the older girl's expression. Kelly blinked a few times, processing. She'd spent the last 5 hours in transit and debriefing, unable to get through to Belle; her mind spinning out worst-case scenarios of escalating horror with each passing hour.

It took a minute for reality to sink in. Gradually her brain wrapped around the fact that Belle was ok. Which meant nothing all _that_ bad could be happening. She let herself relax, loosening her panicked grip to more languid embrace. A deep breath brought back her coy, playful poise.

"So why'd you pull me from half way around the world? That desperate to perv my ass?" Kelly teased. She found it endlessly amusing that Belle's eyes were always glued to her anatomy, particularly when she thought Jones wasn't watching. The girl was always inventing excuses to fall behind when they were walking together, enjoying the view for a few yards before catching up.

"You think you'd still be dressed if I was after your ass?" Annabelle arched one brow, darting her tongue over her lower lip. _Damn. She does that on purpose._ Jones' eyes automatically flickered to the moistened gloss. The dark, glistening shade suggested the flavor of some rich berry or wine. Belle knew that Kelly's weakness was her mouth. For every minute the young brunette spent staring at Jones' shapely backside she knew the spy lost just as much or more time watching her lips. Anytime she wanted attention all she had to do was nibble on her pen; guaranteed results in less than two minutes.

Before Kelly could retort (or succumb to the temptation to taste Belle's lip color) a loud cracking noise from the first floor dragged her eyes upward. There was some loud shouting followed by someone hurling a length of wood beam out the window. It landed a few feet from the girls and Kelly could see it had split right down the middle. It looked to have once been the top of a sideboard.

"That would be the crisis?" Jones noted that there was industrious silence from above them.

"Part of it." Belle nodded. The loud thudding noises resumed.

"Best fill me in." Kelly shook her head. St. Trinian's girls were always coming up with such inventive ways to create pure hell. Belle led her to the relative safety of an alcove just off the main entry, from here even the noises of the siege overhead were dampened.

"Last night was Chelsea's birthday party, her 18th. It was quite the blow out, really spectacular! Now, you remember what she gets like when she's been drinking?"

"Vividly." Jones nodded. After three drinks Chels started to suffer from an excess of sincerity. At the five drink mark she felt compelled to express all her emotions to anyone in the vicinity. Past seven drinks she was officially leathered and wholly believed it was a good idea to start revealing secrets. Only her own but it still got quite awkward.

"She was well pissed last night. She makes a grab for Miss Dickinson and announces she's fancied her for ages and figures now she's 18 she can finally have a go at her favorite teacher. Then bang on kisses her."

"Bloody hell." Kelly groaned, passing a hand over her eyes.

"Good one too, I think Dickinson was too stunned to do anything. By the time Roxie spotted the debacle Chels had her tongue halfway down the woman's throat. Instead of being smart and realizing the Totty was 3 sheets to the wind, she gets all t'd off and retaliates by grabbing Miss Maupassant for a snog."

"Brilliant." Jones' eyes rolled heavenward. Not half an ounce of common sense between the two.

"Now Chels is angry too, starts shouting at Roxie cause what she did was totally wrong. After all, Chelsea genuinely has liked Dickinson for ages but Roxie was just being childish. Or so she says. This escalates to them both yelling at each about how they can kiss whoever they like."

"Oh no." Kelly knew that wasn't the sort of phrase you wanted to be throwing around in a party of drunk St. Trinian's.

"Bianca overhears and immediately says that with Chelsea's experience she could snog her way through the entire school before Roxie even finished the 6th form. Suddenly the bets are flying and those two are so drunk they're up for any game. It was well on 3 and everyone was toe-up before Chels was officially declared the winner. She managed to kiss every single person at the party. Besides Aunty and me," Belle quickly amended when she saw Kelly's eyes narrow, "She sort of won by default because everyone was too drunk to keep counting and nobody could find Roxie."

"Doesn't sound so terrible. Bit over the top for Posh Totty but hardly deserves the 'crisis' label."

"No, the crisis came this morning when I found Roxie. She was under the billiards table. Naked. With Harriet." Belle winced at the memory. The two had obviously passed out together but at what stage in their interactions was hard to gauge. The darker skinned girl was hard to recognize with her hair down and glasses missing.

"That's when you called me."

Annabelle nodded. Her loud attempt at conversation with Kelly nearly woke the two girls. She'd gone to find help but in the meantime a couple First Years and Geeks (who were always up all night) discovered the tryst and immediately told the whole school. The parts of it that were already awake, anyway. This led to a large number of passed out and hung-over students being forcibly awakened and dragged from bed.

Roxie was only just waking up when Chelsea stormed into the room in her raging, morning-after glory. The rocker didn't even have time to process where she was or what had happened. Chelsea just decked her (a proper right hook) and screamed 'Did it have to be a bloody Geek?' before she stormed out. That was the last anyone had heard her speak.

"So the noise you're hearing is Roxie trying to break through to the music room where Chelsea and the Posh Totty have barricaded themselves." Belle felt like her heartbeat had synchronized to the rhythmic thumping. She'd forbidden the use of explosives - much to the Sopranos disappointment - so Roxie had enlisted the Chavs to pick the lock. Unfortunately, the Totty had used all the furniture in the room to blockade the entrance so that even without the lock the doors wouldn't budge. The blondes weren't always terribly bright but they were experts at securing total privacy. Hence the battering ram. Those doors had withstood German invasion. Belle doubted the siege team was going to make serious headway.

"And that other noise?" Jones had picked up a secondary, background sound reminiscent of a cat being dragged through the guts of an amplifier.

"The one that sounds like Jimmi Hendrix and Satan fighting? That's Chelsea in the music room destroying Roxie's guitars."

"Where's your aunt in all this?"

"She's in a bit of a strop. Geoffrey was at the party as well and got hold of a few bottles. He ended up on Chelsea's score list."

The last Belle had see of her aunt she was in the anger management classroom. She and Cleaver were shooting the eyes out of silhouettes that had Thwaites' face pasted on. Matron was also there, supplying them with fresh rounds of ammo and cocktails.

"Right," Kelly nodded, pursing her lips as she tallied all the facts before reaching a conclusion and getting to her feet, "Best show me what you plan to do, Head Girl."

Annabelle nodded, rising to her feet and smoothing her skirt. She straightened her blouse before taking a moment to comb her fingers through her hair. She wouldn't commence until everything was just right.

"Stage one." she announced, before grabbing Kelly and kissing her. Hard.

"I love how your mind works." Jones gasped for breath when she was finally released for air. Her hands had instinctively threaded into Belle's hair, hanging onto the silken strands.

"I've been thinking all morning about how wonderful you are. Thank you for coming so soon." Belle blushed a little. Or it might have just been the heat of the kiss.

"Maybe we should let them keep fighting so you can _fully_ appreciate me." Jones' grin accompanied a salacious wink, bringing a throaty laugh from the other girl.

"I'm a bit worried the school would get burned to the ground while I'm busy expressing my gratitude. Come on." Belle wrapped a hand around Kelly's wrist and tugged her upstairs.

In the corridor outside the music room Roxie (sporting a shiner around her left eye) had an army of musicians slamming an empty armoire into the sealed doors of the music room. They were definitely making progress, a few inches of daylight visible through the doors where they had separated. Kelly sighed and hung back a little, keeping hold of Belle's hand to stop her stepping into the middle of an arse-load of trouble.

"You really want to get in the middle of this? We could just let nature take its course. Survival of the fittest after all." Jones suggested, cocking one skeptical eyebrow.

"I have to, Kel. I'm Head Girl; and I was _far_ more supportive of your duties back when it was your job."

"You once tied me up with your brassiere!"

"Which was designed for extra comfort and support." Belle smirked and dragged the resistant spy into the war zone.

"Chelsea! Chels will you just come out and talk?" Roxie was shouting between each strike. The only answer was another episode of screaming notes and crashes as a guitar died.

"Ooh," Saffy's voice sang out from behind the doors, "I think that was the Martin!"

"Parker! Damn it, stop!" Roxie screamed, choking back a sob. Whether she was crying over Chelsea or the guitars was a mystery.

"Please tell me that isn't what we're like." Kelly grimaced at the spectacle.

"What, you two?" Bianca looked up from her Ipod, "Nah. You birds are the happy, deadly, shag bunnies. This lot are like the flippin' Gaza Strip!"

Zoe, from the other side of the room, nodded her agreement of the assessment. All the tribe leaders were either in this hallway or in the nearby area, an unfailing instinct for a bit of theater and gossip holding them all in place no matter the threat.

"Where's Harriet?" Kelly finally remembered the other victim in this fiasco.

"Soon as she was awake enough to realize what happened she started smashing computers and the Geeks had to pin her down. She's under heavy tranquilizers right now. I think the rest of The Banned are with her."

Jones nodded. It was an amazing phenomenon: the Banned of St. Trinian's. The first ever crew of girls able to cross tribal lines for the sake of a greater love. Eco, Chav, Emo and Geek; they all put the music first.

"Belle! Would you talk to her? Get her to come out of there!" Roxie grabbed Annabelle's arm, dragging her towards the door. Kelly slid to a spectator's distance, keen to watch how Fritton would handle this catastrophe. Even though the younger girl had called her for help, Jones didn't doubt for a moment that she already had a plan and was fully in charge.

"Why? She can hear you just fine." Belle pulled away from the grasp and maintained a total poker face. The Head Girl knew instinctively that of all the things the rocker had been shouting, an apology wasn't on the list. That was the one thing Chelsea might actually hear.

"What? Like I'm the only one that has something to say? She started the whole thing! She's in a snit and I don't even know what happened!"

"She found you naked with another girl. Seems pretty obvious."

"I was bloody pissed! She was still close to sober when she started snogging everyone with a pulse!"

"So you slept with Harriet for revenge?"

"I don't remember! Are you even listening?" Roxie threw her hands up.

"The Fender! Shame, it really is so pretty." Saffy's voice interrupted right before another chorus of tortured notes and crunching wood ricocheted from behind the door.

"You crazy slag! Stop it!" Roxie slammed both hands into the door. Her knuckles were bruised from hitting the walls and her palms were raw and chafed from gripping the wood. Even her voice - powerful from years of practice singing at full volume - was hoarse and cracking. Belle met Kelly's eyes. There was no way these two were going to work it out like this. They weren't even at the stage of miscommunication yet.

"Rox, this has to stop. You have to calm down!" Belle made a grab for the musician but found herself angrily shoved away.

"What do you know? You think seeing your bird once a month makes you some expert?" the blonde snarled and went back to pounding on the door. Kelly bristled at the comment but refused to show her irritation. She just really, really didn't like this girl. Belle was more practiced at ignoring Roxie's random insults. Over the past months they'd actually developed a decent friendship, it was just that her anger tended to scatter over a wide area like birdshot.

"Right, Sopranos?" Belle called out, certain her voice would carry to the ears awaiting orders, "Get her."

At once a flood of tiny students burst into the corridor, tackling Roxie to the ground and swarming over her. From the noises beyond the door Kelly could tell a similar invasion force had launched in through the windows and taken Chelsea and the rest of the Totty down. Roxie cursed as she fought, trying to get clear of the dozens of bodies pinning her limbs. The loud scraping sound of furniture being dragged across wood accompanied the barricade being dismantled and in a matter of minutes the massive double doors fell open. The triumphant First Years scrambled from the room, a captive Chelsea held aloft.

"The meat locker should be perfect now. Double time." Belle snapped her fingers, urging the girls along. Roxie was hoisted into the air as well and writhed in midair as they obediently trotted her downstairs after Chelsea's captors. Kelly sauntered to Belle's side, joining her to walk lazily down the stairs in the wake of the blitz.

"The meat locker?" her brow twitched up in question.

"Lucy dropped the temperature a few more degrees. Can't be stubborn when you're about to freeze." Belle shrugged. This would be resolved one of two ways: the girls would talk and sort things out to gain release OR they'd decide to combine body heat, which would inevitably lead to an equally satisfactory resolution.

"Diabolical little mastermind, you are." Kelly nodded in admiration, looping an arm around her waist.

"Just like you hoped." Belle smirked. They paused in the kitchen to peer in the window to the walk-in meat freezer. Chelsea and Roxie were glowering at each other but with their own breath turning to vapor before their eyes the hate was losing steam, literally.

"Ten quid says they get frostbite in there before they come 'round!" Bella waved a note in the air as a throng of students followed the miniature soap opera into the kitchen.

"Nah, I bet 20 they're shagging in less than 5 minutes!" Bianca shook her head. The First Years were already clearing off the butcher's block to set up a betting counter. Esme and Jemima were writing up the odds, using mustard stained fingers and the stainless steel surface of the freezer door. The Sopranos smiled as St. Trinian's returned to its usual business.

"Did you intend to stick around and supervise?" Kelly's fingers were teasing the sensitive skin of Belle's neck, right above her collar where it made the hair tingle.

"You have another idea?" she forced her voice to stay even despite the shivers running down her spine.

"I thought we might resume our conversation about how wonderful I am." she spoke low, both to keep the other girls from hearing but also for the effect on Belle. There was a particular register that made every inch of her skin flush. The other girls were all too busy laying bets and watching the scene in the freezer anyway.

"You're utterly wicked." Belle sighed, turning towards the familiar feel of breath on her skin. She wondered if everyone in the room could hear her heartbeat or it was only loud in her own veins.

"Just what you like." Jones winked. Belle surrendered with a laugh, ordering Lucy to keep charge as Kelly pulled her from the room.


	11. Silent Too Long

_Last chapter. Finally. It's near 2 am and took me most of the night to write, review and edit. Hope the end product is worth the effort._

* * *

**Silent Too Long**

"Is it just me," Belle's fingers stroked idly through black hair, "Or are we actually getting clumsier with practice?"

Kelly lifted her head an inch from Annabelle's stomach and gazed around the destroyed Head Girl's room. (The room having been destroyed, not the Head Girl). The devastated quarters did rather look like a natural disaster with ADD had ripped through.

"It wasn't me that tore down the curtain rod." Kelly pointed out, resuming her relaxed position. She liked feeling the rhythmic flow of Belle's breathing beneath her head. She was starting to understand why Annabelle liked to fall asleep on her chest. There was something so incredibly soothing about the feel of another's breath.

"Well, I'm not the one that kicked over the floor lamp." the younger girl chuckled. Jones tilted her eyes up. Yes, the lamp was indeed sideways, crashed against the desk and the bulb guttering with gasps for life. She had a vague recollection of her foot colliding with something in that general vicinity.

"I don't throw things." Kelly retaliated, gesturing lazily towards a wall where a pillow had hit the collection of hanging pictures. One had been knocked down and the other two were skew. She was pretty sure that was from when her mouth had found the weak spot on Belle's ribcage. Recalling the magic location Kelly began trailing her lips across the naked skin of Annabelle's stomach, counting up the ribs.

"You kick." Belle laughed and pulled Kelly up to her face. There was no denying it had been Kelly that booted the desk chair over, then sent it shooting across the floor into the closet where it wreaked havoc on the shoe hangar.

"Would you prefer we switched to more sedate activities?" Jones' eyebrow arched playfully, bringing her lips within the distance of a kiss before pulling back. Belle hated being teased.

"Not a chance! I'm just surprised we didn't break the bloody window this time!" Annabelle laughed, both hands tangled in Kelly's black bob to pull her into a kiss.

"We still have the whole afternoon." Jones grinned when they separated. To date they'd broken the window of the Head Girl's room 27 times. Granted, the first 15 times were hardly their fault because the single pane glass was so thin. The ensuing dozen were more spread out and tended to relate to rather specific episodes of intensity. It was hardly their fault that a flung bottle could break through glass so easily. The Headmistress had recently told Annabelle that if the window was broken once more she was replacing it with bullet resistant glass. That would make for a fun challenge.

"Think Roxie and Chels have worked things out?" Belle wondered as Kelly slid into a comfortable position alongside her.

"They better had. Otherwise Matron is going to have to do some frostbite treatments. Maybe losing a few fingers would calm Roxie down. Is she always so difficult?" Jones wrapped her arms around Belle and pulled her close.

"As though she's the only problem! Chelsea is just as bad!" Annabelle quickly pointed out. She knew Kelly tended to take the Totty's side after being friends so many years.

"Right, the blind leading the blonde. Those two are a dangerous combination." Kelly sighed in irritation.

"You just don't like Roxie." the current Head Girl smiled faintly, reading between the lines of her lover's words.

"She's got two strikes on her, Belle. I see her come at you once more and she's not walking away." Kelly growled, thinking of the antagonistic rocker.

Annabelle chuckled, flattered and amused by this protective streak. As if she'd ever be in danger from any St. Trinian! She was in the process of kissing such thoughts out of Kelly's mind when the spy's cell phone went off. Old song too: Dreams in Digital. Belle lunged for the phone on the nightstand, knowing exactly who it was. Kelly caught her wrist, struggling to wrest the iPhone away. They wrestled across the bed, trying to pry control of the phone away from each other.

"Polly! How are you?" Belle greeted breathlessly, her body half off the bed and upside down before she managed to answer the call.

"Well enough, Belle. Mind, every time Kelly takes off I have to spend more time listening to Terri waste oxygen. He's the first tosser I've known that killed his laptop with STDs." the familiar voice of the red-headed Geek came back over the line. Polly tended to skip both preamble and context, as if everyone already had such information from the cloud.

"How's that?" Belle continued to fight Kelly away, the former Head Girl draped over her and still trying to steal the phone back.

"Caught too many viruses from bad porn sites. Completely fried his hard drive." Polly elaborated with a sigh of exasperation.

"Can't be long before he does the same in the real world too." Belle laughed. Polly and Kelly were completely united in their distaste for Terri. It often amazed Annabelle that the man survived any mission with the two girls since it would be so easy for a couple of St. Trinian's graduates to arrange for an unfortunate accident.

"Let's hope. Is Kelly there? Wait, I know she's there, obviously. Is she available?" Polly corrected herself quickly. She'd once made the mistake of simply asking for Kelly and being provided with the sound effects of a moment far too intimate to be shared.

"Kelly is here but currently indisposed. I can take a message." Belle lied with aplomb, earning a whispered insult and further grappling as she kept the phone away from the spy's grabbing hands.

"Tell her we have a new mission and if I don't see her bike moving towards home base in the next hour I'm coming with reinforcements. Nice chatting with you, Belle." Polly stated firmly before closing the line

_Always another mission. _Annabelle sighed as she pulled herself upright and back onto the bed. _There's never enough time! _She chucked the phone aside before cuddling against Kelly. _Or maybe no amount of time will ever be enough. _She'd only come back for an emergency, true. It was just that once Belle had the dark beauty here, it was so much harder to let her go again.

"How long do I have?" Kelly inquired, recognizing the sadness in the touch of Annabelle's fingers on her skin.

"Less than an hour." Belle admitted, brow furrowed as her eyes looked down. Kelly paused, contemplating the timetable, the costs and the expression on her lover's face.

"That means at least two before she comes to get me." Jones grinned, tugging the happily surprised Head Girl back to the mattress.

* * *

Annabelle glared at her laptop screen. Clicking 'refresh' on her email page produced the same 20 second ripple of anticipation only to hit the same crushing defeat: no new messages. It was starting to feel like a personal insult.

*refresh*_  
No new messages_

Polly's last invasion to snatch Kelly back to the real world had been entertaining. Usually she made a dangerous or noisy entrance; fast cars, caravans of equipment trucks, a military hummer, at least once she parachuted down. This last time she'd just pulled Kelly's car into the drive, stomped into the main hall and announced she had Terri in the rear seat and would release him into the school if Jones wasn't in front of her in less than 5 minutes.

*refresh*_  
No new messages_

The Geek had secretly been hoping Kelly would resist. Then she could release Terri into the nearest pack of First Years and they'd be free of him forever. Sadly, Kelly had preferred to not let Terri anywhere near Belle ever again. He knew the younger girl had plans involving a rubber band and very sharp knife. Polly had blindfolded the git in the backseat so Kelly could kiss Annabelle goodbye on the front step.

Of course, any kiss goodbye turns rather easily into a whole nonverbal conversation. First it's goodbye, suddenly it becomes don't go, then I'll be back soon and before they could start promising what would happen when she _did_ get back, Polly intervened. The Geek gave Kelly a scolding glance, apologized to Belle and shoved her wayward espionage agent into the car. Even with the heavily tinted windows, Annabelle could see Kelly's grin before they sped away.

*refresh*_  
No new messages_

The last email she had received sat in her inbox, the succinct message the last she'd heard from Kelly. _Going undercover again. Changing time zones. Will try not to wake you when I call. Dream of me?_ It had been so Kelly. The terse, weary professionalism suddenly broken with a note of sentimental sweetness. It had made Annabelle smile. Now every time her eyes ran over the words they went blurry with tears fighting for release.

*refresh*_  
No new messages._

The first two weeks were difficult but Belle had expected it. The last time Kelly went undercover it was 12 days before they were back in touch. The third week she forced herself not to think about it, that way she could just be happily surprised when a familiar phone call came. Except it didn't. The call never came. Neither did the email, or letter or SMS or any sign of life that would give her even a hint as to Kelly's well-being. After four weeks she called Polly. The Geek's number (the private one that didn't route through the agency) went straight to voicemail.

*refresh*_  
What part of 'no new messages' aren't you getting?_

It had been six weeks. She hadn't heard Kelly's voice or seen her face or even had the comfort of a few words scrawled across a cell screen for 6 weeks. Belle wasn't sure when she shattered but she'd felt pieces of herself breaking and falling away for days now. She'd managed to pretend everything was alright for longer than she expected, only starting to show the cracks these last ten days or so. Close friends had seen the signs earlier but could only watch helplessly.

Belle didn't sleep because she either had dreams of Kelly alive and home, or nightmares of her never able to return and either way when she woke up she was in tears. Instead she either stayed up all night on Beverly's uppers, or knocked herself out past sleep, not entirely convinced she cared if she woke up.

She ate only when someone noticed her absence from too many meals and sent a tray. Her aunt couldn't lure her to the sparring ring. The Twins couldn't make her laugh. For the first month the empty bottles clinking in her rubbish worried the girls who knew her. For the last two weeks it was the full, unopened ones on her shelf that worried them more.

Celia, Chelsea and Anoushka sat together comparing notes on Belle's activity or lack thereof. They were her three closest friends in St. Trinian's and none of them knew what to do. There was no enemy to attack, no war to wage, no pill to fix the illness devouring Belle inside out.

The Head Girl was dying, by moments and degrees of silence.

* * *

Kelly Jones was not a fool. She'd been people-savvy and worldly wise from the womb. Continually beyond peers. Always three steps ahead in any game she played.

She wasn't a coward. The only person in the world she feared was herself because she was her only true threat. She put the fear of God into her enemies. Then she introduced them to the devil.

So how did this happen? How had she been this stupid and spineless? How had she not seen what she was doing? Her jaw was clenched so tight it felt like her molars were going to crack.

The coupe shot around a curve on only two wheels, bringing a sound of irritation from her passenger that Kelly ignored.

"If you refuse to drive right would you just let me?" the exasperated voice barely registered over the phone pressed to Jones' ear.

"Shut up, Polly." she growled. The moment she'd stepped off the plane she'd checked her voicemail. The scores of messages had formed the urgent soundtrack to her increasingly hazardous homecoming. She could track Belle's heartbreak through the sound of her voice with each succeeding communication. From easy-going and playful (just remember I still have your favorite lipstick) they began to degrade towards loneliness and worry (I know you're ok but when you get a chance, please drop a line.) Then the emotions had spiraled downward. Fear, anger, pain had all escalated in intensity and frequency until something broke. There was nothing left to say. The last messages were just silence. Belle had called only to hear her voice on the mailbox.

"Kelly!" Polly yelped as the coupe threaded _under_ a massive lorry.

"Have you gotten into the network? Are the sensors deactivated?" only Jones' lifetime of emotional control kept her voice even.

"If I turn them off too soon they'll notice. When we're a few minutes away I'll activate the program." Polly gritted her teeth and squinted her eyes to weather the suicidal drive.

She'd known to keep her mouth shut this trip. From the moment she'd seen the determined glint in Kelly's eyes after their mission ended she'd known better than to say a word. 'I have to get back,' was all Jones had said as she marched past her. Polly had silently fallen into step with her friend, both girls leaving a bewildered Terri behind to explain matters to the superiors. The femme fatale had never been more grateful for a display of loyalty and tact.

"I did it all backwards." Kelly muttered, mostly to herself but with a slight glance at her Geek partner. Polly recognized the comment for what it was: an apology for not listening, an admission that she'd been right all along. The red head didn't even smirk, just nodded sympathetically. Jones didn't admit she was wrong easily; mostly because she never was.

It had taken Kelly forever just to admit her feelings to herself. Takes a while for someone as fiercely independent as a St. Trinian's Head Girl to admit she's getting emotionally tied to anything other than the school she rules. Then it took even longer to be sure of Belle's feelings since neither of them were willing to admit vulnerability first. They played and teased around each other so artfully that it was like playing blind tag, feeling for the edges of the truth by listening to what wasn't said. By the time Kelly knew for a fact that they were both hopelessly, stupidly, deliriously in love they had run out of time together. Voicing her feelings felt too much like a promise and Kelly Jones didn't make promises unless she knew she could keep them.

After so much time had passed, so many unspoken confidences and intimacies exchanged, it seemed a bit preposterous to just blurt the words out over the jam jar. Kelly had wanted to make the moment of truth special, make it memorable for them both; as epic as the feelings deserved.

Completely sodding backwards. Jones had to bite her lip to keep from swearing at herself. It was so obvious now. She should've told Belle the instant she knew. Just saying the words would've made that moment in time special and unforgettable, no matter where they were or what they were doing. 'I love you,' wasn't a promise, just a truth. It still would've hurt like hell to leave but they could have been working on the future together instead of worrying about it apart.

"We're close. I'm activating the disarm program," Polly announced, watching the symbol for St. Trinian's loom closer on the GPS screen, "Go round the stables. East side has no surveillance right now."

"Right." Kelly nodded, yanking the wheel and skidding down a small dirt path off the main road. She'd made enough mistakes. Time to start making things right.

* * *

*refresh*_  
No new - _Black.

Belle sighed in irritation as the screen went blank. The lights in the room shut off at the same moment and screams from the dorm implied power had gone down everywhere. That just left the question of whether it was an outside invasion force or internal saboteurs. Should only take a moment before -

"Belle?" Anoushka tapped at the open doorway.

"Who is it this time?" the Head Girl rose from her desk. It was still late afternoon, no need for her torch like last time.

"Ecos. They've been monitoring the electric meter and decided the Chav's karaoke machine was using too much." the Russian managed to sound irritated and apologetic at the same time.

The last blackout had been when the First Years engaged in a balloon war in the science lab. The time before was the Emos because they wanted a more appropriate ambience for their séance. Since then Annabelle had the Geeks put locks and surge protectors on all the electrical mains. Figures the Ecos would manage to work out a way around the security.

Belle strode into the dorm and scowled at the shrieking chaos. Just her presence was enough to silence the arguments. No one dared get on her bad side these days. She strode over to Celia, the original Trustafarian guiltily dropping the circuit interrupter.

"Belle, they were sucking energy down! You know they've already used up 2 kilowatt hours with all that gear? That's more than a refrigerator!" Celia didn't even wait to be accused, just folded her arms defensively.

"Oh, it's all us is it? Don't suppose you've bothered to measure the drain of all those curlers and hot wax tubs the Totties are using!" Bianca immediately defended her tribe.

"What? We don't use half as many plugs as the Emos and their stupid tattoo guns!" Chelsea jumped from her bed, the dignified protest losing some cachet when her hair stayed tangled in the curling iron she'd been using and almost pulled her back down.

"We compensate by working only by candlelight. Too much energy blocks us from the underworld." Zoe answered without even opening her eyes.

Belle held up a hand to restore silence. The tribe leaders all hesitated, mouths open with their arguments paused.

"I understand your concern, Celia. There is a lot of consumption going on. Didn't you present an alternative energy source for your science project last term?" she sheer kindness of her tone was enough to make all the girls take a step back. Something bad was coming.

"Yes. We did. It's a sort of generator." the leader of the Ecos admitted.

"That's obviously the perfect compromise then isn't it? You want the girls to use less energy, just provide them an alternative source. Lucy, your girls can wire this floor into the Eco generator, right?"

"Course." Lucy nodded. Only the Geek technology had been unaffected by the blackout since they maintained a massive backup battery for all their systems.

"But, Belle!" Celia started to argue, wincing when the Head Girl's eyes immediately snapped back to her.

"Problem with that solution?" Annabelle arched her eyebrow that fraction of an inch that dared anyone to challenge her right now.

"It's just a big hamster wheel." the Eco mumbled.

"Then you'd better find some hamsters. Unless you care to turn the power back on?" Belle's bright smile was even more unnerving than the threat in her eyes. Celia's mouth opened and closed a few times. The argument in her head was obvious: sacrifice principles or pride?

"Come on, girls. We'll do shifts." the Eco leader summoned her tribe. A cheer went up around the dorm and most of the students followed the Ecos down to the science room where they'd constructed the massive exercise wheel. Lucy and the Geeks quickly wired the fuse box into the primitive generator. Celia, with the spirit of a true leader, was the first to climb into the wheel and begin running. Shouts from above them announced power had come back online upstairs.

Belle nodded in satisfaction. She took no personal pleasure in these victories anymore but did feel relief when the petty crises could be easily resolved. She left orders with the Sopranos to supply the Ecos with a crew of First Years to help out and TnT immediately handed over a dozen girls slated for discipline. Power for the evening wouldn't be in short supply.

Walking back up the main corridor Belle paused in the entry hall, falling behind the rest of the students. At the base of the stairs she felt the familiar sensation of emotional vertigo. It always happened here. She braced herself against the wall as the thoughts and memories battered at her mind. Right here. It had been right here. She wrapped her arms protectively around herself, squeezing as tight as she could, trying to push the feelings away.

This was where she first met Kelly. This was where they'd kissed after the party. For months neither of them could walk past this spot without smiling. When they were together Kelly would always pause right here to kiss her again. The sob that echoed off the walls shocked her before she even realized it had come from her own throat.

* * *

Kelly and Polly had easily climbed in a window to one of the side rooms while a parade of whooping girls stomped past. Whatever had just happened provided the ideal cover for their covert entrance. They lingered behind the cover of the doorway as the girls all laughed and raced back up the stairs. Only one figure remained behind.

"Belle." the name breathed out of Kelly like grace. She started to step forward but stopped when she saw someone else still lingering in the main hall. She and Polly had taken great pains to be sure she could talk to Annabelle privately before anyone else saw them. Kelly didn't want any distractions. The sound of Belle's sob made an echo in Kelly's chest.

"_Go." _Polly mouthed, trying to push Jones into the corridor. The spy just shook her head, jerking a thumb at the approaching third party.

"Belle?" Chelsea approached and gently rested a hand on the Head Girl's shoulder. Annabelle looked up at the tall blonde, trying to hold the emotion back from her eyes and failing miserably. Seeing Parker's look of complete understanding was the final straw. Chelsea knew the exact nature of the hell in Fritton's head and was offering refuge.

"It's been too long, Chels. She's not coming back." Belle whispered before collapsing against the Posh Totty, burying her face in the blonde curls to muffle the sound of her weeping. Kelly felt the prodding in her ribs finally stop. Even Polly knew this may not be the best time to sweep out of the shadows like some jubilant phoenix from the ashes. It killed her to stay still, to watch Chels comfort Belle when it should be her holding the broken brunette.

"Belle, Belle, shhh," Chelsea murmured, trying to soothe the sobs, "Don't be ridiculous. She _is_ coming home. She's Kelly Jones. Nothing could keep her from St. Trinian's. Except maybe you and _you're_ here."

"Th-that's what I, I thought. I want," Belle choked on her tears, "Wanted to believe it. I can't! I just can't anymore. She's gone, Chelsea. She's gone off with someone else or she's dead or, or, I don't know!"

"Dead? Kelly? Not a chance. It'd take a small nuclear device to kill her. Even then I think she might climb out of her own grave just to come back for you. If Kelly was dead, she'd already be channeling through Zoe to get in your pants." Chelsea laughed, bringing the tiniest answering chuckle from Belle.

Kelly felt a wash of gratitude warm her cheeks. She'd always known Chels would have her back no matter what. At this moment she was willing to forgive every ounce of stress and brain damage the Posh had caused her for the better part of a decade.

"What if-? Chels," Belle leaned back slightly against the wall, terrified even to contemplate the coming words, "What if I waited too long to tell her? What if she met someone else? It's not like I was her first or only or . . .anything."

"Oh my god, Annabelle! You really think that's even possible?" Chelsea laughed even louder now, "Right, time I let you in on a little secret."

_Oh Christ. What're you going to do, Parker?_ Kelly leaned closer, straining to hear Chelsea's thoughts before they became words.

"Do you know the only reason you weren't Kelly's first? At the beginning of Sixth Form we were all in town on a field trip. On the way back she spots this car she absolutely has to have. The bloke didn't even have his pants up before she swipes his keys and is off with it."

_Thank you so much, Chels. I really wanted to remember that!_ Kelly groaned to herself. It had been a first rate car though. Broke her heart when she eventually had to flog it.

"Are you serious?" Belle's voice wasn't wavering as much now. She sounded like she might actually laugh.

"I couldn't make that up! It was some vintage convertible. She could probably still tell you all the specs. She brought it back here and announced her virginity was worth £90,000," Parker shook her head at the memory, "She was a lot more cynical back then, Belle. No way could she have imagined someone like you in her future. I'll bet the minute you came on the scene she wished she could trade the car back."

"Thanks, Chelsea." Annabelle smiled, letting out the last of her tension with a long sigh, resting her head back against the taller girl's shoulder. The blonde just wrapped her arms tight around her friend, pouring reassurance into the hug.

"She's coming home, Belle." she repeated quietly into the soft brown hair. Kelly smiled at the sweet scene, loathe to break it up but relieved to finally have an opening.

"What the hell is going on?" the angry voice boomed around the entryway, jerking all eyes to the top of the stairs. Roxie was storming down the steps, fists clenched angrily. _There went the perfect opening!_ Kelly growled in the back of her throat, eyes instinctively narrowing to watch the approaching girl.

"Roxie, I was just -" Chelsea started to explain.

"I've got eyes, right? I can _see_ what you were 'just!'" the rocker grabbed Parker's wrist and pulled her away, breaking the innocent embrace.

"Roxie, listen -," the Posh Totty tried to make herself heard but was being totally ignored. The angry blonde slammed her fist into the wall not an inch from Belle's face. The Head Girl didn't even flinch. Kelly did. Actually, it was more of a lunge than a flinch. Right now the only thing keeping her pistol in its holster was Polly's restraining arm.

"Look, Annabelle, I don't care if you are Head Girl, I don't care if Jones has taken off on you! If you want to shag your way out of this funk go ahead, just don't use my girlfriend!"

Belle didn't answer. She was used to Roxie's scenes and too emotionally spent to even care about her friend's ridiculous fit of jealousy. She just wanted to be left alone so she could go back to her room and wait for Kelly. Forever.

"Do you hear me?" Roxie's fist hit the wall again.

"Get a grip, Roxie. The whole school hears you!" Belle rolled her eyes. These accusations weren't even worth a denial. Infuriated by the disdain in Fritton's eyes the fist reared back again, this time aiming for more than the wall. She would've connected directly with Belle's eye. Except another hand had shot forward and caught her fist.

"I'm very patient with new girls but you've been unusually slow to learn," Kelly hissed, squeezing tighter on the fingers in her grip, "So let me explain three things. First: if you ever again raise your hand against Annabelle, even the government I work for won't be able to find all your pieces. Second: nothing is _ever_ going to happen between Chelsea and Belle because she's my girlfriend and doesn't need your seconds."

"Third?" Roxie demanded through her clenched teeth after a drawn out silence.

"You'd better get your temper under control or Chelsea will do it for you." Kelly shoved the musician backwards. She staggered a few steps and collided with Parker.

"Are you ok? Roxie?" the Posh Totty patted her over for injuries, face contorted with worry.

"Fine. I'm fine." the punk girl nodded, flexing her bruised fingers.

"Good, now what the hell is wrong with you?" Chelsea grabbed hold of Roxie's ear and dragged her out of the hall, furious scolding pouring out of her mouth and echoing behind her clicking heels. Kelly just smiled. She knew Chels wouldn't put up with that jealous bullshit forever. She turned to face Belle, relief and happiness flooding her just at the sight of the beautiful girl staring at her wide-eyed.

"'Girlfriend?'" Belle asked in surprise. Kelly blushed a little. How had they never used that label before? Had she actually been scared of a word that simple?

"It's a bit obvious isn't it?" Jones pointed out, feeling more confident than she had in ages. She knew exactly what she was doing. Finally. That might be why she was so caught off guard by the response. The resounding slap ricocheted off the walls and turned her whole cheek into a hot, red throb.

"What bollocks is that? What kind of girlfriend disappears without a word for two months?" Belle shouted, face red with justified fury. She looked ready to underscore the question with another hit, closed fist this time. Kelly immediately grabbed her shoulders, pinning her to the wall to prevent any further assault. Her jaw was still stinging but she forced it to open so she could speak.

"I was in the bloody Himalayas! We were freezing our arses off for two months watching a bunch of extremists make their crazy plans to destroy the world. Do you know what satellite reception is like up there? We were completely off the grid, Belle! Not even contact with the home base! What could I do? Ask some passing Sherpa to jog down to the post box for me?" Kelly could hear herself getting louder but couldn't calm down. Belle had to hear her, had to understand,

"I've spent the last 36 hours in transit trying to get back here! Do you know how many laws I broke getting back to you? The only reason I'm not handcuffed to bars right now is cause of my government plate!"

"Why didn't you call?" Annabelle demanded, eyes furious despite tears welling up in the corners. She was listening. Kelly hesitated only a moment. This was what she'd come to do, right?

"Because I needed to see you, Belle. What I want to say can't be done over a phone. I had to see you in person to tell you-,"

A faint snickering sound distracted her. Looking up Kelly saw the entire first floor banister lined with students. All of St. Trinian's seemed to have turned out to watch this private moment. Even Headmistress Fritton was standing at the top of the stairs. All of them were holding their breath expectantly.

"Tell me what, Kelly?" Belle urged, pulling Jones' attention back to her. Kelly took a deep, calming breath. She hadn't been planning on so large an audience. Just as well, they all deserved to hear this. She licked her lips, steadying herself by locking onto Belle's hopeful eyes. All this time and the girl still hadn't lost her faith that Kelly would come through. Time to prove she wasn't a coward and done being daft.

"All I could think about was getting back here so I could tell you how much I love you, Annabelle. I should've told you so long ago. I could've been saying it every day and I'm sorry I haven't. I'm going to make up for that mistake from now on. I promise."

". . . ." Belle stared, then blinked rapidly in shock. Her lips moved, trying to answer but unable to form words.

"Annabelle?" Kelly had never seen the brunette completely speechless. It was worrying. Particularly right after she'd just spilled her heart out. A lesser woman would've been shaken.

"Kiss her!" the cry went out from somewhere above. A second voice repeated the command and soon it was echoing from all sides, a chant demanding action.

"Best give them what they want." Kelly shrugged but couldn't stop her lips curling into a smirk just before brushing against Belle's. She would've kept it light but when she started to pull away Annabelle's hands caught hold of her cheek and hair, keeping her firmly in place as the kiss deepened.

It was only when the cheering applause and whistles overhead threatened to bring down the rafters that the girls broke apart. It had been ages since either of them had blushed over being caught in a snog. This time was different somehow because they were both flushing pink.

"So, do you," Kelly had to clear her throat, a knot of nerves and lust having lodged somewhere in her chest, "Do you have anything to say, Fritton?"

Fritton. She only became Fritton when Kelly was nervous. Belle smiled mischievously, running her fingers over Kelly's delicate features.

"Yes, I do. I actually have three words for you," she paused, pleased that Kelly seemed to be holding her breath, "'Bout bloody time, Jones."

"Low blow!" the former Head Girl objected but couldn't help smiling as Annabelle laughed. Nothing could ever be wrong so long as Belle was laughing.

"I love when you're angry, Kel. When you're happy too. When you're asleep, waking up, screaming, tired, laughing and probably when you're dead: I'll never stop being madly in love with you, Kelly Jones."

The second kiss brought even louder cheers than the first. The Twins had been planning for this day and received a tip off SMS from Polly (same as Camilla) to be prepared. They pried the lids off wooden crates of their most top secret project: Trinski Champagne. Corks exploded and flew in every direction, the effervescent liquid spraying up in fountains as the student body flooded downstairs. Camilla slid amongst them, expertly maneuvering towards a familiar redhead.

"Took them long enough." Polly commented, watching as Kelly and Belle were actually torn apart by the rush of students praising them. The celebration swarmed over the girls, lifting them in the air like the heroines they'd proven to be. Congratulations were shouted, screamed, sang and etched onto the walls. Kelly and Belle laughed, stunned by the reception.

"Yes. Well done. I'll be certain to have the scotch brought round for you," Camilla smiled as the two girls fought to keep hold of each other while riding the human tidal wave, "How'd you finally manage?"

"Wasn't me. Kelly just finally got her head right on her own." Polly shrugged, having to yell to be heard.

"The more credit to her."

"Perhaps we should just split the difference and share the bottle?" the Geek suggested.

"Capital idea!" the Headmistress grinned as they allowed themselves to be swept along with the tide of the revelry.

The girls of St. Trinian's deposited their beloved lovers in the party hall, music warming the speakers as the strobe lights kicked to life. Belle wrapped both arms around Kelly before they could be separated again. Only the two of them could be completely alone in a room full of watchers.

"So!" she leaned close enough to be heard without yelling, "What kind of car was it?"

Jones laughed, feeling a familiar blush at the memory. It was worth the mortification though; just to have Annabelle back in her arms, her words still happily ringing in Kelly's ears.

"1961 Jaguar E-type series I. Why?"

"I told you I wanted to trade in the Bentley for something more fun!"

**The End**

* * *

_I had intended to finish this story out with an epilogue but think I may end up spinning that into a 4th story. Reviews will determine what you get!_**  
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